


The Epiphany

by Typhaon_x



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Fluff and Slight Angst, Future Smuttiness, Humor, It works for Barry and Iris, It’s not incest if one is an alien, Kalex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-09-16 18:09:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16958973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Typhaon_x/pseuds/Typhaon_x
Summary: When Kara Zor-El made a choice to save the world from Myriad, she'd known it would be at the cost of her own life. What she had not been prepared for was a startling revelation given voice by what she thought were her final moments. A revelation that threatens to affect her relationship with the most important person in her life. Will Kara risk it all for a chance at her heart's unspoken wish, even it could mean losing everything?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *Warning, this fic involves the romantic pairing of Kara/Alex. If that’s not your bag, feel free to click away.
> 
> Set during the events of the Season 1 finale and continuing into an alternate Season 2 with a Kalex endgame. There will be some dialogue and altered scenes from those respective seasons, it is not my intention to pass that work as my own because it isn’t. They're way better writers than I can ever hope to be. I am just a huge fan who loved those moments, but wondered "what if things had gone a little differently?"
> 
> This is my first story so comments are welcomed.

**500** **Miles** **Northeast** **of** **National** **City.**

**Nevada** **Desert**

_“That’s not an option Kara. Once you’re in space there is no atmosphere, there’s no gravity, you wouldn’t be able to generate thrust, you wouldn’t be able to breathe, you wouldn’t be able to get back.”_

Alex’s words echoed in Supergirl’s mind as she steeled herself for what she was about to do. What she had always been destined to do. Protect Earth and all that she loved. Kara Danvers wanted very much to see her sister and friends again but Kara Zor-El, last daughter of Krypton, knew that in order to stop Myriad there would be a price. Everyone on Earth was depending on her, and she would not fail them.

Beneath the merciless desert sun, Fort Rozz... Krypton’s long derelict maximum security prison… pulsed with deadly infection. It's damaged synthetic brain, once dedicated to the purpose of guarding the universe from some of the worst criminals and terrorists that planet had ever produced, was now perverted to serve the ends of the very monsters it was designed to contain. It hummed with Myriad, whatever rudimentary artificial consciousness remained becoming only Myriad, and it was _hungry_. Hungry to grow, hungry to spread like cancer cells in the grid where it could dominate whatever sentient mind it touched. Submit, the program murmured. _Submit and all will be well. Submit and all will be right._

Had Fort Rozz’s rightful A.I. not been subverted by the Myriad infection, which was now using all of it’s meagre remaining energies to send its mind control signal though National City’s extensive digital networks (and from there directly into the brain of anyone within range) it would have immediately detected the geological anomaly occurring directly beneath it. Instead, the localised seismic activity went disregarded as fingers strong enough to crush Kryptonian composite metal armor like paper pierced their way into its dusty hull with the kinetic force of striking meteors.

The Nevada desert, previously quiet as death itself, rumbled with a sound like angry tectonic plates crashing together, making jackrabbits, insects and buzzards flee in terror for several kilometres around. Slowly, the once dormant structure began to twist and writhe out from where it had lain, like a great mythical beast awakening from an ageless slumber. Muscles capable of channeling the nuclear energy of a burning star tensed and heaved, and the metal behemoth sluggishly unearthed itself. Unsteadily, Supergirl’s feet began to rise from the sand. The desert rumbled in protest as Fort Rozz was torn free from the crater in which it had rested for over a decade. Soil and debris pelted the floor of the desert like hail as it started its long climb back towards the heavens.

The corpse of the station pirouetted slowly as it rose through the clouds. To any onlooker its ascent to the stars would have resembled a graceful dance, a ballet both majestic and effortless. To the lone blue and red clad figure barely visible under the structure’s metallic frame, the feat was anything but effortless.

The nearly impossible effort it took to lift millions of tons of synthetic alien metal while trying to reach escape velocity was beginning to take its toll on the Girl of Steel. Kara’s lungs and muscles were on fire. She screamed out loud as her body approached the threshold of her abilities. Never before had she ever pushed herself this far, with no real way to accurately test the limits of her Kryptonian strength she couldn't even be certain she was up to the task at hand, but Alex’s life depended on her and failure was not an option. Kara would do whatever it took to keep her sister safe. Resolute on what had to be done, Supergirl mustered every last bit of power she could and pushed even harder. All around her the sound of screeching metal reached a fever pitch. It almost sounded to Kara as if Fort Rozz itself was screaming in rage as Earth’s gravity tried it’s best to reclaim the gigantic structure; regardless, Kara and the prison continued to rise gaining more and more momentum.

Had she reached the thermosphere yet? Supergirl had no idea. In her mind it seemed as if it had taken an eternity to get to that altitude, but she knew it could only have been a matter of mere minutes. She did know that she had to be approaching Earth’s outermost region of atmosphere, and the faster and further up she climbed, the more the lack of oxygen in her body began to affect her.

She’d flown this high before and been able to last longer than this, but those times had never required her to push a giant alien prison into space at twelve kilometers per second.

An unusual mellow began to creep over Kara’s mood. She found it odd because she was taking in breaths of air; it wasn’t like feeling out of breath at all. Kara was, in fact, not having trouble breathing but _thinking_.

She felt a little drunk, or at least that's what she suspected it would feel to be drunk. It was her first time. She stifled a giggle. This was not right, and somewhere in the deep recesses of her brain she knew that it had something to do with low pressure and oxygen diffusion. But as much as Kara tried, it was too hard to recall that information. She wished Alex was with her. _Alex would know what’s happening. Alex was always so smart...so beautiful and so smart_. Kara continued musing to herself as the feeling of euphoria washed over her, pulling her in deeper like a siren slowly drowning a sailor with a sweet lullaby.

Gradually, Kara’s eyes began to close and her speed began to falter. It was followed by a nearly imperceptible pause in the structures upward momentum. Gravity, ever ready to pounce, tried to reassert its claim. Then a familiar voice reverberated in Kara’s mind: “Kara, please wake up!”

_Alex? Was that Alex’s voice?_ It roused the Girl of Steel from her stupor. It had only been for a microsecond, barely noticeable to human perception, but to someone who could keep pace with the scarlet speedster, the loss of time had a galvanizing effect. She had almost failed! Adrenaline shot through her system, staving off the effects of oxygen deprivation. Once more she dug deep, and began to fly faster. Fort Rozz rose higher yet.

Kara wondered if it had been real. Alex’s voice seemed so clear, but that was impossible, she realized. But she had heard it, hadn't she? She wondered if had been her mind playing tricks because of the lack of oxygen. Perhaps it was her subconscious urging her forward, taking on the voice of the person that would always encourage her. Whatever it was, she was thankful. The stars were clearly visible above her now. She was at the edge of the exosphere, there was just just had a little further more to go and she would be clear of the atmosphere. Then the massive structure above her could be set adrift into space along with Myriad’s deadly signal.

_One more big push_ , she told herself and almost laughed...it kind of sounded as if she were giving birth. To an entire extraterrestrial prison. She couldn't wait to tell Clark that one… provided she survived the ordeal. Summoning whatever reserved strength she had left, supergirl heaved upwards one last time.

She felt it as soon as it happened. She’d cleared the last threshold and gravity’s greedy pull was considerably weakened, lightening the indescribable weight she’d taken upon her shoulders. Kara used this to her advantage. With her last bit of her energy, she hurled Fort Rozz into the great void. In doing so, she had effectively done what her mother, Alura Zor-El, had been forced to do back on Krypton: She had exiled the remainder of her people, sentencing them to an uncertain fate in the cold darkness of space. Kara understood her mother’s decision more clearly now, felt it as a tangible thing that was heavier than Fort Rozz itself.

But this was the only way to ensure that the people of the planet that had adopted her would remain safe from subjugation at the hands of the race that had birthed her. There was no other choice.

She’d succeeded.

Kara took a moment to savor the victory. Triumphant and happy, she allowed herself rest. Had she ever felt this tired before? No, not even after the fight with Red Tornado which had caused a temporary burn out of her powers. This was different...her muscles didn’t ache with fatigue as they had then.What she was feeling now was more like sinking deeper and deeper into the warmed depths of a vast, tranquil ocean. Her eyes were so...so heavy. It was beginning to be a chore just to keep them open. _Why fight it?_ she thought. After all, she’d just saved Earth. As far as she was concerned she had earned a respite.

As she floated listlessly, there was an almost dream-like sensation of time having stopped. Kara knew what it probably meant. She was dying, but it didn’t alarm her. Instead she gazed at the beautiful blue orb she called home and smiled. How poetic that this was to be the last memory she’d take with her into Rao’s light. She had come full circle. After all… this is how her story had truly begun. Though it seemed an entire lifetime had passed since her fateful journey, this was the same image that had first greeted her upon emerging from the phantom zone. It had been breathtaking then too, but unlike today, she’d been too frightened of what was to come to appreciate it.

She was a little girl, too young to fend for herself in a hostile and alien place, suddenly facing the uncertainty of a future of being alone. Her parents were gone. Her entire world was gone. For all she’d known, she might have been the last of her once mighty people. There was no telling what may have happened to poor little Kal, if he had even survived the dangerous voyage in his pod.

To her overwhelming surprise he had, in fact. Kal had been the first person to greet her after crash landing on this strange anachronistic world. Even more shocking was that her cousin was no longer a baby who needed protection. He had become Earth’s mightiest protector. To his eternal consternation, the people he championed had taken to calling him “Superman”, a sobriquet coined by a misanthropic philosopher who’d envisioned the coming of a being so advanced and unfettered that he could redefine morality and rule over those less powerful than himself. In a twist of cosmic irony, Kal…Clark...had single-mindedly devoted his entire life to doing battle with adversaries who were motivated by that very agenda. “You just have to try to find the humor in it” he’d later tell Kara after they'd had some time to grow accustomed to one another, to think of each other as family. “The ability to find humor in our burdens may not be a superpower, but I promise, it's at least as useful as heat vision.”

As a result of Clark’s never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way, the image of Superman was almost universally recognized among citizens of Earth as a symbol of hope, a beacon letting them know that as terrible as things might be, there was something standing between them and the forces of darkness. Something powerful, immovable, never-tiring. What possible good could a young girl do a being such as this? Certainly, he did not need her protection.

Time had passed Kara by while she'd been in the phantom zone, leaving her behind. She had failed to keep her promise to her mother. She felt lost, set adrift with no tether and no hope of ever finding her way home again. Adding to her agony, Kal did not take her with him instead. Instead, he brought her to the home of his human companions, the Danvers. Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers were scientists who had worked alongside Superman, aiding in the never ending battle to keep his adopted planet safe.

She had been angry at him at first, and rightfully so. Kara had been willing to devote herself to her infant cousin’s protection, even sacrifice her own life for it. But Kal-El the man was about to fly off (unaided by a pod no less, he could literally just fly) leaving her alone with a couple of alien strangers. She felt unwanted and abandoned. Kal’s reassurances that the Danvers could provide her with safety and stability, things he could not, as well as a new home did little to ease her pain.

But he had been right of course. He was Superman, after all.

The Danvers had saved Kara from the desolation and despair of being a refugee orphan all alone in a new and alien world. Jeremiah and Eliza had been great surrogate parents. They’d not only given her a home but had also kept her secret safe. As scientists they’d mentored her, guiding her in the difficult period when she’d come into her power. She loved them and couldn't be more grateful. But in truth Kara knew it was Alex, the couple’s radiant young daughter, who had really rescued her from the fear and loneliness that threatened to consume her in those early years. Alex had taken the role of Kara’s older sister, becoming a balm to her wounded heart. Alex was her confidant and stalwart protector. In essence, she was the most important person in Kara’s heart and the bond between them had only grown stronger after Jeremiah’s death.

Over the years as Kara grew older, assimilating more and more into the prevailing culture that surrounded her, their relationship evolved. Alex had grown into a strong, beautiful and capable woman. She was now much more to Kara than the familial title she’d originally been assigned implied. After all, it had only been when Alex’s life was in jeopardy that Kara finally revealed herself to the world, effectively risking the many years she’d spent blending in. For Alex’s sake the world had borne witness to Kara’s true power, consequences be damned.

Not surprisingly, revealing herself as Supergirl did not change how Alex acted towards her. She was still Kara’s protector, her personal champion. A smile spread across the young Kryptonian’s lips as she continued thinking about what Alex meant to her. “My safe haven, my home, my love.” Then quickly following in a moment of strange uncertainty, “Wait, that isn’t right.”

_Something bad is happening_.

Her eyes opened at the sudden revelation. She tried to breath but couldn’t. There was no air. She was startled. The confusion that had been gradually creeping through her oxygen deprived brain had worsened and now her thoughts were increasingly jumbled and difficult to track.

_What was I thinking just then?_ She asked herself. She was sure it had been important. She tried to muddle through the blur of incoherent thoughts that were spinning around in her head until… _Alex_. That was it. She had been thinking of Alex. The image of her foster sister filled her with happiness. _Happiness_ , she continued to muse. Alex was safe and would finally get a chance at happiness. Kara had made sure of that. She smiled contentedly at the idea of Alex living a long and fulfilled life. Tired beyond words, but now also peaceful, Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, closed her eyes for the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

**National City’s DEO desert outpost, moments before.**

“Supergirl… she needs to talk to you.”

Alex Danvers barely heard agent Vasquez through the pounding in her head. The alien signal that was causing the pressure to build in her skull had increased its intensity by exponential leaps over the course of the last hour. It was like a Japanese Taiko performance, but instead of Ō-daiko, it was her brain being thunderously hammered with bachi sticks. All around, DEO agents lay were they had once stood. Some, stronger and more determined than their fallen comrades, stooped over their stations still trying to carry out their duties, although they were in agony. The agents who'd dropped under the weight of Myriad’s pulse could almost be mistaken for dead, if not for the barest hint of breathing. The ones unlucky enough to still be conscious writhed in pain.

 Alex regarded the usually abrasive and unyielding General Lane. Ordinarily he was like a man forged of steel, tempered in lion piss and vinegar. Now, she saw defeat in his eyes. His body, usually ramrod straight, sagged with resignation at their fate. Exhaustion and despair made him look ten years older than he really was. The General, who was more familiar with barking orders under fire than expressing any kind of human vulnerability, reached out for his daughter Lucy. He pulled her close and in a surprisingly paternal gesture, wrapping her tightly in his arms as if his embrace could protect her from the inevitable.

Even Maxwell Lord, a man who always had a plan, looked defeated. This was probably the only time she'd ever seen his ordinarily self assured and smug veneer pulled away to reveal uncertainty. The situation was truly dire.

Alex pulled herself together, fighting through the booming thunder in her brain and turned her focus to the active com in Vasquez’s hand. Unlike poor Lucy, the General and the polymath business tycoon, she still held out hope. Hope in Kara.

She grimaced. The pressure that was building in her head caused even the smallest movements of her body to feel like insurmountable tasks. The agony was indescribable. Regardless, she bit down on the pain and forced herself up. She took the com from agent Vasquez and affixed it to her ear.

“Supergirl, what’s going on? The Myriad signal is still escalating.” Alex asked. She tried to remain professional. Tried to keep the fear she felt for Kara from seeping into her voice.

Earlier she’d been elated to hear that Supergirl and J’onn had defeated the renegade Kryptonian General Non and Indigo, a Brainiac cybernetic entity… two of the chief perpetrators behind the attack. The relief was sadly short lived. Kara told her that the Myriad wave had not been stopped and there was no more time left. Alex knew before her sister said the words. Knew what Kara intended to do.

“I’m going to fly Fort Rozz into space myself. It’s the only way to get Myriad off the planet.”

Alex tried to talk her sister out it, pleading for another course of action. But Kara refused to listen to her suggestions. She had made her decision. Alex had known deep in her heart arguing was pointless from the very beginning. Kara would never let another world die. Not when she had the power to intervene. She would never again be a helpless witness. These were the true reasons she needed to put on the red cape instead of just living the easy life so much power could have afforded. Supergirl was going to try to do for her adopted world what she'd been unable to do for Krypton, and nothing would dissuade her. But selfishly Alex still tried.

“There is no time Alex.” Kara cut her foster sister’s pleading short. “I was sent to protect Earth and that’s what I’m going to do. I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise that when you find Jeremiah you’ll tell him that I never stopped wearing the glasses. He needs to know that you and Eliza gave me a great life. A life I never thought I’d be able to find outside of Krypton.  He needs to know that everything good I did…it came from you Alex, from you being my sister.”

Alex could hear the emotion in Kara’s words. It was nearly enough to undermine the martial self control she was trying to exert. She was on the verge of tears, biting it back, trying to be the DEO agent first and frightened sister second.

“You taught me, Kara.” Alex responded, but the words felt woefully inadequate to truly express how she felt about her foster sibling. She wanted to say more but she was afraid that speaking would open the flood gates to her tears. The thought of losing Kara was too much to bear but she continued to listen.

“Alex I want you to have a good life. I want you to find love and be happy. I want you to do all the things that being my sister kept you from doing.”

“Kara…” Alex wanted desperately to tell Kara she was wrong, that being her sister had given her life purpose and meaning. But she was overwhelmed by the bleak realization that this was truly going to be the last time she would ever talk to Kara.

“Promise me,” Kara urged her. Alex could not bring herself to answer. It could not end this way. She internally cursed at whatever power controlled the universe. She finally cracked and openly sobbed now, her composure falling away like a broken sheet of ice. After all they had been through, everything they had shared. It was unfair.

“I can’t.” Alex sobbed. She had tried so hard to protect Kara. Was she really going to lose her? Like this? Kara was her world. She needed to think of a solution, not be stifled into inaction by her emotion. Kara needed her.

“I need you to promise me. There isn’t much time.” Kara pleaded desperately with her. 

Then Alex understood. Kara needed this. She needed to know she would be okay. Kara could not do what she needed to do unless she felt her sister was going to be happy and safe without her.

“I promise.” Alex lied... for Kara’s sake.

“Good…okay. I have to go now.” Kara’s breath hitched as she responded.

Kara was also trying to control her emotions, to remain professional while she mentally prepared to sacrifice her own life for everyone on the planet. Alex knew it was the right call. She was a hero and Alex was proud of the woman Kara had become. She wanted her younger sister to know this, to say it openly, but time was not on their side.

_No long speeches then_ , She thought, but she would be damned if Kara didn’t at least know how much she meant to her. She whispered to her sister one last time.

“I love you, Kara.”

"I Love you!” Kara cried out as she cut off communication with the DEO facility.

“Kara?..Kara!” Alex called in vain through the silent com.

Kara’s final words echoed in her mind. Alex’s heart was heavy with regret and sorrow. She had failed to protect her. She stared blankly at the Kryptonian pod that had sat in the DEO control room like an alien museum piece while her hand unconsciously touched the necklace her sister had given her for safe keeping. It was the necklace Kara’s mother had given her before she’d ushered her daughter into the craft that brought Kara into her life, that had traveled across space and brought…Kara…to…Earth.

The pod!

She was moving before she’d even completed the thought. The pain in her head seemed to ebb. Whether it was due to the success of Kara’s plan or the sudden rush of adrenaline, it did not matter. There was little time. Alex was at the pod and within moments had the hatch open.

“Agent Danvers, what are you doing?” She felt Maxwell Lord’s hand on her shoulder. Apparently she wasn’t the only one with a high tolerance for pain.

“Saving my sister, what’s it look like?” She spat back. She had no time for the verbal repartee he got off on.

“From where I’m standing, it looks like someone who is emotional and not thinking clearly. Frankly, I expected better from you agent Danvers.”

“I know what I’m doing Max.” Alex replied in a tone meant to quash any rebuke.

To Alex’s great displeasure Max did not get the message.

“Really, can this thing even fly anymore? Do you even know how to fly a Kryptonian spaceship?” Max asked in a tone that came dangerously close to condescension.

Anger flared in Alex. Rather than driving her fist into his face as she wished to, she simply responded to Max’s question by reaching into the ship’s control console, and with a few deft keystrokes, initiating the pod’s start up functions. The onboard displays blazed to life exhibiting an array of telemetry and sensor readings in both Kryptonian and English. An onboard flight suite complete with a fully interactive HUD waited for pilot confirmation. The low hum of the pod’s gravitational engines and interstellar drive emphasized Max’s silence.

“I see.”

“My father studied both Supergirl and Superman’s ships. He based a lot of his work on what he gleaned from the data stored in them. I was the head of the team that put this ship back together. I personally rebuilt the AI and many of the other onboard systems. Do you think the government has many scientists fluent in the Kryptonian language as well as a working understanding of their technology?” Alex glared at him haughtily as she entered the ship.

Lord’s hand grabbed her wrist before she could close the hatch.

“Yes. But have you flown it before? And I don’t mean within the atmosphere. Have you flown it in a vacuum? Because I don’t see a pressurized space suit anywhere in this ship.” Max pressed on, not giving Alex any ground. Later she would come to understand that it wasn't simply for the purpose of antagonizing her; He wanted to protect her, feeling he owed Supergirl that much.

“Dammit Max! I don’t have time for this! Supergirl is in trouble. She is relying on me. She has always relied on me!”

“Alex, this is suicide. If there is a breach anytime during the flight you will die alongside her.” He would not let her kill herself in a fool’s errand. He wanted Alex to see how irrational she was acting for her own safety.

“Then I die! Either I come back with Kara or I don’t come back at all.”

Max knew she meant every word, but he was determined to get through to her, to make her honor Supergirl’s last wish that she survive.

“Do you think for a moment that this is what she would have wanted?” Max countered.

Alex took a deep breath, then changed tactics. “Max, if you had a chance to go back and save your parents, even if it was a small chance, wouldn’t you take it? Wouldn’t you do everything within your power, even at the risk of your own life?”

 For the second time that day Max was speechless. “Checkmate...” he whispered. “What do you want me to do?”

 In the seconds that followed, Alex and Max worked together quickly making a final check of the Pod’s systems, almost like a flight crew preparing a fighter jet for take off.

The ship cleared the heavily reinforced bay doors a scant few seconds after Max disengaged the safety protocols, opening the DEO hanger bay to the blistering desert sun. In mere moments the ship had located the only other Kryptonian signal anywhere close to the planet and was nearly clearing the atmosphere in pursuit. She barely felt the blinding acceleration of the sleek pod as it sliced through the ozone’s friction like a razor, seemingly in defiance of the laws of physics. _Buzz Aldrin, eat your heart out_.

Alex now had a visual of the gigantic alien structure as it soared above the pod. The ship’s sensors displayed telemetry readings from Fort Rozz. It was all going according to Kara’s plan. Soon Myriad would be too far away to infect National City’s electrical grid and spread its malevolent signal. The pod coasted closer to its target when suddenly a warning klaxon sounded. Manual control was wrested from Alex as the automated systems of the ship course corrected. She fought back for control, then realized the cause: Fort Rozz was slowing down. She quickly deduced what had happened. At this altitude, Kara’s body was experiencing Hypoxia. She was probably fighting to stay awake. Supergirl was exerting herself, pushing her body to its limits. Although the yellow sun imbued her with nearly god-like power, she still needed air to breathe. In such a weakened state, she would suffer from exposing her body to the unimaginably hostile environment of the upper stratosphere. The young Kryptonian did not have the luxury of a ship equipped with a gravimetric drive system that could produce an energy field to protect its pilot from the effects of traveling at high velocity in a near vacuum. Even Superman himself couldn't endure it for long.

“Kara, please wake up!” Alex shouted in vain. “Please wake up. You’ve always had that knack for hearing me wherever I’m in the city. Please, hear me now.”

No response.

In desperation, Alex begged the Kryptonian god Rao to intervene on Kara’s behalf. It couldn't hurt. And then, almost as if an answer to her silent prayers, Fort Rozz began climbing faster. The pod’s AI went dormant again. Alex quickly regained control of the ship and gave chase. By the time the pod reached outer space, Fort Rozz was gone. Alex desperately searched for any sign of Kara, visually as well as with with the ship’s external scanners.

She soon spotted her sister's still form floating along the outer edge of the atmosphere. She felt her heart sink as the ship closed the distance between them. Kara's skin had a blue, almost corpse like pallor. Her eyes, ordinarily so full of gentle humor and warmth, stared vacantly into the cold void, unblinking, yet seeing nothing. Her face was expressionless like a mannequin. Alex had been too late. Kara was gone.

Bitter tears blurred her vision. She let out an anguished sob. 

“No no no…” she whimpered. “Please no. It can’t end like this. Not like this!”  Her fist struck the metal controls before her. She hadn't even been aware her arm was in motion. Pain shot through her hand, but she perceived it only dimly, like a sound that was too far away to be fully intelligible. Kara was gone. She pounded her fists down hard onto the ship’s console. Tears mingled with rage. Rage at Non and his ilk. Rage at the universe, but mostly, rage at herself. Kara was gone because she had failed to protect her.

“Kara please...don’t leave me.”

And then, almost as if in response to her words, a chime sounded from the HUD. Miraculously, the universe heeded Alex’s pleas. The ship’s sensors had detected Kryptonian life readings. They were very faint, but they were there. There was still hope.


	3. Chapter 3

**DEO Desert Outpost**

 

_Hope._

 

Alex clung to it with every fiber of her being. It gave her sustenance, kept her going although the world around her seemed to be fracturing. When she’d arrived at the DEO facility with an unconscious Supergirl, General Lane had a team of doctors who were military trained to handle extra-human emergencies on standby. They rushed Kara to the base’s state of the art medical bay. Maxwell Lord was already working with the techs to prepare Supergirl’s sunbed, a device used to replenish energy and aid in the healing process of Kryptonians. Alex allowed herself a moment to catch her breath. She knew her sister was going to receive the best care possible at the DEO, thanks largely to the advanced knowledge and technology acquired from aliens that the department had either monitored, aided or imprisoned. Within those walls there sat devices which would eventually transform the world. For better or worse remained to be seen.

Max and the doctors placed Kara on the bed, letting the powerful sun lamps boost her recuperative abilities. Kara was breathing steadily but remained unconscious the entire trip back to the DEO. Much to Alex’s chagrin, the monitors Max connected to Kara were registering very low brain activity.

 Alex felt helpless, like a spectator standing in the sidelines while the doctors did their work. She used the time to compose herself. The mental weariness she felt was threatening to overpower her, but she could not rest until she knew for sure that Kara was going to be okay. DEO Medics had asked her to clear the room since there was nothing more she could realistically do to help Supergirl. Furthermore she also needed examination, they insisted, in order to make sure there was no hidden neurological damage from her prolonged exposure to the Myriad wave. Alex vehemently refused. They argued that other DEO agents had already been looked at and some of them required immediate treatment, lest they risk permanent mental impairment. Alex calmly repeated herself, telling everyone who asked that she would refuse examination until Supergirl woke up.

Frustrated and getting nowhere, the medics asked General Lane to intervene. When Alex refused his direct order to get out of the way and make herself useful elsewhere, which was as close as he could come to kindly urging her to go rest, he decided to have her forcibly removed from the medical bay. Luckily for everyone's sake, J’onn had arrived in the nick of time. He warned the general that any attempt to remove Agent Danvers while she was in such an agitated state would only result in more troops ending up in the infirmary. The general also sensed an unfamiliar tension in the towering alien shapeshifter standing before him and immediately recognized it for what it was, as he himself had felt it many times before. It was the carefully concealed anxiety of a father whose daughter was in grave peril.

Lane relented and had his men stand down. He wasn't looking for a confrontation; he was acting out of genuine concern. He ordered the medics to “suck it up” and allow “the stubborn woman” to watch over Supergirl as long as she wanted. A noticeable sigh of relief was heard when the men realized they had dodged that particular bullet, whether it came in the form of a pissed off Agent Danvers or potentially an angry super powered Martian. All parties agreed Lane had made the right call.

In ordinary circumstances this would have been a non-issue since Alex would have been part of the medical staff working on Supergirl. She was, after all, their top bioengineer. But she had the professionalism required to know that she was emotionally compromised and therefore could not be trusted. That damn well didn't mean she wasn't going to be _present_.

The doctors quickly determined that Kara was showing no signs of physical injury in spite of suffering the unspeakable ordeal of suffocating in outer space. Her remarkable body had already healed the wounds acquired during her fight with Indigo and Non and the effects of being exposed to the Myriad wave at such a close proximity would not have been a factor to her current condition. The Kryptonian neural-virus was programed to only affect human brains. Even her Kryptonian cousin, who had been susceptible to Myriad due to his mind having been influenced by human experiences since infancy, had finally regained consciousness. The medics were at a loss why Supergirl still remained unconscious. So there Alex stood, waiting for her little sister to wake up. She stared at the monitors watching hopefully for any increase in mental activity. Sadly, nothing had changed since she’d begun her vigil.

She wanted nothing more than to have Kara wake up and give her one of her radiant smiles. It was true that sister could light up an entire room when she smiled. _Maybe it's one of her superpowers_ , she mused. Alex knew it was not, of course. A facial expression was not a power manifested by absorbing the radiation of a star. But not everything beautiful about Kara depended upon her alien physiology. Much of it was simply the woman she was.

Alex needed Kara to wake up. The world needed her to wake up. Even the DEO needed her to wake up; after all, there was a room down the corridor filled with people waiting to thank Supergirl for what she had done for the entire planet that day. _Wake up damnit!_   Alex screamed the words silently in her head. Frustration was beginning to fray the edges of the cool facade she was maintaining for the agents around her. Except for J’onn, of course, who could not be fooled by such a mask. She pretended not to see the concerned glances he kept giving her, and understood he was aware of that pretense as well.

_“Maybe if I shout into her god damned ear.”_ She thought blackly. The sensation of being completely powerless had her simmering steadily in a slow burn. Agent Alex Danvers might not have been able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but she was far from average. She was a woman accomplished enough to excel in multiple scientific fields, earning doctorates in each. She was conditioned enough to operate in the highest echelons of a task force so secret most people working in the federal government hadn't even been aware of its existence until recently. She could incapacitate an opponent twice her size with deft ease, or perform emergency surgery in a combat zone without flinching. But she couldn't reach her foster sister, who seemed as lost as the mysterious world from which she'd originated. After mulling over the notion, Alex’s better angels prevailed. The young agent closed her eyes, took a series of long calming breaths and mentally forced herself to maintain control of her emotions. Once centered, Alex resigned herself to the reality that there was nothing left to do but wait.

The rest was up to Kara.

 

 

***

Kara lay still, lost within the recesses of her subconscious. She seemed to drift in the endless darkness, not truly awake, but also not as inert as the DEO agents surrounding her body believed. In the void there was nothing. Kara had many passing thoughts manifest only for them to disappear like phantoms before she could hold on to them. No matter how hard she tried they slipped away like grains of sand through her fingers. To Kara, it felt as if the void itself was taking a perverse enjoyment in her attempts. She wanted to scream in frustration when suddenly the darkness parted, engulfing her in a feeling of warmth that pushed back the inky darkness of the void. She thought that it must be Rao embracing her, guiding out of the dark and into the light. She became aware of a faint sound. She wasn't sure when it had begun but it was gradually becoming more and more perceptible, like the volume of a radio slowly being increased. It emanated all around her, seeming to come from every direction at once. She could not place it, but it felt strangely familiar and its cadence was comforting. It helped bring her focus. Soon she felt the anxiety and fear that had gripped her consciousness in the dark begin to wash away.

Kara finally understood what had happened and what was to come. Soon she would be greeted by all those she had lost in the annihilation of Krypton, and could take her long delayed place beside them. By all rights she should have felt more elated at the prospect, but strangely she did not. What she found in her heart was a feeling of deep melancholy instead of the happiness she would have expected. Melancholy at the idea of walking in Rao’s light without Alex by her side.

It wasn’t that she wanted Alex’s light to be extinguished so soon. Kara hoped she would have a long and happy life. But to never see her again would be heart rending. “When it’s Alex’s time to join the universe, who will be there to greet her?” She wondered. “Will she even know how to follow Rao’s light? Does that mean her spirit will go somewhere else?” No answers came from the fading black.

She felt despair at thought of never seeing Alex again and focused once more upon the sound, using it to comfort and steady herself. Once calm, Kara made an important decision. She would not travel any further into the light. Instead she would stay there in purgatory, the antara-bhāva...whatever that infinitely dark in-between place turned out to be… and wait. She could afford to, couldn't she?   What harm would it do to postpone her reunion with her loved ones, just a little while? Because there was someone she desperately wanted them to meet. There she would wait, until the time of Alex’s long night. Her sister would not travel alone in darkness. Kara would be with her. She would take Alex’s hand in her own and guide her into Rao’s light. They would walk together in eternity as they had in life.

Rao must have approved of her decision, because the warmth Kara felt before had increased in intensity. The sound had gotten louder as well, resonating within Kara’s consciousness. With newfound clarity she finally understood why it had brought her comfort, why it was so familiar. It had been with her for most of her life, always in the background. When she was young and new to her powers it had served as an anchor, giving her strength and preventing her from being washed away in the perpetual waves of stimuli that crashed against her psyche. It had given a lonely girl respite from the pain of losing an entire planet and stark uncertainty of finding her place on a new one. Over time it had begun to represent something else, something that Kara thought she would never find again… a place where she belonged. And from that time onward, the steady percussive music would forever envelop Kara in feelings of warmth, comfort, and love.

The sound that had pulled her out of the death had been the same one that sustained her in life. It was the steady rhythm of Alex’s heart. She could not believe that she’d not recognized it sooner. Elated at the realization, Kara focused on the sound, took comfort in its tempo, and followed it home.

 

***

 

Alex was startled when the medical bay’s EEG monitors suddenly detected a spike in Kara’s brain activity. Within seconds, Kara had begun to stir. She quickly made her way to the sunbed in order to help her disoriented sister.

Supergirl’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her senses, now fully restored to their meta-human peak, registered not only all of the familiar sounds and smells of the DEO’s desert facility but also the unforgiving landscape for miles beyond. She also heard her sister’s worried heartbeat. Slowly, she sat up.

“What happened?” Kara whispered to her sister who was now standing beside her.

“You saved the world then I saved you... with your pod.” She responded sheepishly. “You’re not the only badass in the family.” The statement made Kara laugh which in turn caused Alex to laugh as well. It was a welcome change from the fear she had felt since finding Kara’s inert body adrift in space a few hours before.

“And… this belongs to you.” Alex slowly unclasped the necklace Kara had entrusted to her for safekeeping prior to beginning the mission. She placed it in the younger girl’s hand.

“I think your mother would have really appreciated my piloting skills.” Alex continued as Kara smiled lovingly at her. The sight of it after so much longing was making it difficult to remain cool and collected. All of the emotions she felt that moment, contained in her body like the contents of a bottle under pressure, were threatening to overcome her. She was so relieved that Kara was alright and felt so proud of her that Alex did not think she could keep herself from crying for long.

“There are a lot of people out there wanting to say thank you.”  She said. Alex’s eyes welled with tears and her voice was choked, but the dam still held. She took Kara’s hand in hers and slowly began leading her out of the medbay only to be pulled back into her arms in a tight embrace. It was then that Alex lost all her resolve and started crying. “I thought I’d lost you.” She whispered.

“I know.” Kara hugged her tighter as tears spilled from her own eyes. She did not want to let go, there was so much she wanted to say, but this was neither the place nor the time. There had been too many confusing revelations. She needed time to sort them all out before she could give them voice. The one thing she was sure about, however, was how she felt about Alex.

“You will never lose me. I will always be by your side no matter what happens. I love you, Alex.”

“I love you too." Alex replied, burying her face in the crook of Kara’s neck. For the first time through the entire ordeal Alex relinquished control, allowing herself to be vulnerable in her sister’s strong arms.

“Kara listen… what you said to me when you thought you were going to…”

“Sshh… later. I promise we’ll talk about it. Just not right now.” Kara then quickly changed the subject as she wiped some of the tears from her face. “I don’t know about you, but I think a celebration is in order.” She jested as she broke the embrace.

Alex relented. “Okay, you’re off the hook for now, but we will be talking about it. Sooner rather than later, Kara.” Alex made sure she said it in a tone that brooked no argument.

“Yes, now can you stop being so serious, Alex. I saved the world, which means I get to bask in my glory.” Kara said it with a bit of good humored flamboyance.

Alex smiled at Kara’s happiness. She had nearly died saving the world yet the experience had done nothing to mar her bubbly good nature. She also inferred from the look on Kara’s face that whatever form this celebration took, it would involve food in some way. That was okay with her.

“Sisters night?” Alex suggested.

“Depends. Will there be pizza and ice cream?” Kara pretended she needed more convincing. Alex smiled and played along, reveling in the fact that life for them would go on, continue as it always did. They had made it through this trial. Perhaps they would even be stronger for it.

“Maybe even dumplings.” Alex continued.

“Oooh dumplings...” Kara responded, giddy with the thought of her favorite dish. _Dumplings are her Kryptonite_ , Alex mused. _Well, Kryptonite is actually her Kryptonite, but dumplings are a close second_.

“It’s a date then. Now, I think we’ve kept everyone waiting long enough, don’t you?” Alex once again extended her hand to Kara, who eagerly took it. She laced her fingers lovingly around Alex’s and revelled at the touch.

“El Mayara.” Alex it said almost reverently as she brought Kara’s hand to her lips.

“Stronger together.” Kara responded, meeting her sister’s gaze. They shared a smile before walking from the medical bay into the applause and cheers of friends and grateful agents.

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

**National City**

Kara hastily made her way through the crush of early morning pedestrian traffic.  At that hour, the city sidewalks were teeming with bustling commuters on their way to work. Pushcart vendors were setting up for the onslaught of breakfast customers with the grim countenance of Kryptonian House Vanguards awaiting a Dominator insurgency, and bicyclists weaved between yellow cabs on the street beside her with the precision of the elite pod pilots of her youth. _It’s a typical morning,_ Kara mused. Everyone seemed blissfully unaware of how close they had come to complete annihilation just a few hours before. She smiled inwardly. Supergirl had made a difference and by Rao, it felt good. 

 Kara was rudely jostled out of her contemplation when a commuter’s briefcase suddenly collided with her thigh. She was near invulnerable, but not immune to surprises. “Hey!” She growled. The man, a disheveled looking fellow with unkempt blonde hair and a tan overcoat, winked flirtatiously at her as he squeezed past. “Terribly sorry luv…” he purred, adjusting his dangling tie. “I’d gladly make it up to ya, but I’m late for my morning exorcism.”

 “You mean morning exercise...” Kara corrected. He looked at her a moment. “Right. See you around, duck.” He said. Then abruptly turned with a flourish, disappearing into the crowd. _Enjoy your yoga, weirdo…_ She thought angrily. _And by all means, use your nifty free will to perv at total strangers._ She glanced at her watch. It was nearly eight o’clock. Hadn't it just been a quarter past seven? _Great Krypton! I move at super speed. How am I always running so late?_ Latte and breakfast in hand, she spurred herself onward through the gestalt.

 Horny English jerks aside, Kara had no one to blame for her tardiness but herself. She’d been so engrossed basking in her triumph over Myriad, then listening to J’onn’s rousing speech to the brave and dedicated agents of the DEO, that she’d almost forgotten she still had an actual job to get to. So after a quick change of clothes and a short stop at Noonan's, it was back to the office for her. The Girl of Steel might have saved the world, and she certainly deserved a victory celebration, but Kara Danvers couldn't hurl her bills into outer space. _As awesome as that would be._

 Truth be told, Kara was not the type to let a small thing like nearly dying to stop her from fulfilling her responsibilities. It was a matter of general principle to be a dependable employee, cosmic threats be damned. Besides, facing Non and a bunch of angry Kryptonians would pale in comparison to Cat Grant’s icy sarcastic wrath if she didn’t have a latte ready and waiting upon arrival at the office. _It’s like the ice witch from Narnia fiending for her morning cup of children’s tears,_ Kara reflected.

 Faster than a speeding bullet, she traversed the final city block to Catco Worldwide Media. She entered a set of revolving doors, was quickly scrutinized by a security team that gave the DEO a run for its money, then masterfully navigated around the worker bees who were buzzing about inside the gargantuan lobby. Like Kara, they were on their way up to the heart of Miss Grant’s Feudal Empire, which she ruled with the iron will of a Tokugawa Shogun. In the center of it all, the bust of a giant pink panther with an absurd diamond encrusted collar glared at Kara accusingly. “You're fifteen minutes late, Alien Servant.” She almost heard it growl. Easing past, she could almost feel the thing’s eyes following her, boring into her backside with white-hot disapproval.

 About a hundred people besides Kara were also headed straight to the elevators. Several were so transfixed in their own musings or cell phones that they unwittingly barreled into her, nearly spilling the contents of the cup she’d been protecting since she left Noonans. _This is getting risky_ , she thought. Perhaps she should save time and use the “other elevator.” The one no one used. Kara summarily dismissed the idea since the last person to touch it (other than Ms. Grant) had never been seen in Cat Co again. Though the old staffers say that on dark and stormy nights, when the moon is high and the wind is howling its mournful melody, his cries could still be heard emanating from somewhere in the basement.

 Luckily for Kara, a direct path opened up, and with a few quick strides, she was almost at the elevator door. _Rao provides!_ She thought, thanking the Kryptonian deity for her good fortune. A smile played across her lips as she got to a mere foot from the elevator’s entrance and yes! There was still room for one more person in the car. Her elation was short-lived when a shabbily dressed man cut in front of her and scurried inside the car, deftly taking her spot in the elevator

 “You snooze you lose, ponytail…” He said gruffly. “...I have real business here, you can catch the next one if you're done daydreaming.” He quickly pressed the close door button, cutting off any response. For a moment she just stood, mouth agape in utter surprise at the audacity of the little man. _Oh h-e-double hockey sticks no!_ She was not going to stand for that. She’d just saved the gosh darn world! And as soon as the sounds emanating from her mouth coalesced into something semi-coherent, she was going to find that mangy little son of a Daxomite’s Soapdish-Bearer and give him a piece of her mind. It would be scathing. _Pencil in getting scathed onto your calendar, buddy boy._ At least... it would be if she ever got upstairs.

Kara stomped her foot in exasperation, letting out a frustrated growl. At least what passed for a growl, to many an onlooker it was less Cat Grant Queen of All Media more “adorkable” lowly assistant.  Fellow employees who’d witnessed the altercation tried not to look directly at Kara. So there she stood, silent and motionless as if waiting for an answer or apology from the heavens.

Kara could feel her anxiety building as passing seconds turned to minutes. The doors of the inefficient piece of human engineering were as cold and silent as the entrance of the Fortress of Solitude. Feeling foolish at the whole situation Kara sighed in resignation. She Ignored the quiet snickers of some of the people around her. _Sometimes fighting superpowered villains is so much easier,_ she sighed. _They punch you, you punch them, they don't hurt your feelings with inappropriate giggling. Corporate drones could learn a thing or two from Red Tornado._

 Many people had the misconception that to a being like Supergirl, who was faster than a speeding bullet and able to bend steel with her bare hands, mundane inconveniences wouldn’t be very aggravating. Those people would be wrong. While others could only wonder if they were being laughed at, thanks to the curse of god-like senses, Kara knew it for certain. But she was forced to swallow it, acting oblivious in order to maintain an illusion of normality. Frankly, that was a necessity thousand times worse than getting liver-punched by a whirlwind powered super-robot. If only navigating social and romantic strife was a superpower she and Clark possessed. Perhaps then she wouldn't be perpetually single, in spite of being as worthy of love as anyone else. Perhaps then she wouldn't be so confused when it came to… _Oh, Rao! Alex_.

Kara’s internal monologue came to an abrupt end as her feelings for Alex surfaced once again, unbidden. _No!_ She commanded herself. She was not having these thoughts. Many things had recently changed for her, but this was too much... She had finally hit her stride as National City’s hero. Heck, she’d even managed to save Clark for once. Jeremiah was alive. _Alive!_ It was too good to be true. Although he was in the clutches of Cadmus, an organization focused on the protection of Earth against what they perceived as dangerous alien invaders. Which of course to them meant every alien on the planet, including Superman and herself. But dealing with them would be infinitely easier than confronting this. They might not be blood, or even of the same world, but she and Alex were no less sisters. How selfish could she be to burden her this way? _Alex doesn’t need this in her life_ , she inwardly groaned.

Her reverie was broken momentarily as the elevator door chimed. She carefully made her way into the car among her fellow drones. Once inside, Kara took a good spot in the back corner behind everyone’s line of sight. This allowed her to expertly remove the top of the latte cup and use her heat vision to reheat the precious liquid. Content that her cargo was safe from any errant elbows, she allowed herself a few precious moments to relax as the elevator made its first stop on its way up to her destination.

Predictably, Kara’s mind began to wander once again. Her thoughts naturally drifted to Alex. Thanks to her near-death experience, a door had been opened to thoughts and feelings for Alex that were more than… sisterly. Feelings Kara wanted to avoid because they could potentially ruin her life. There were so many questions. How long had she felt this way?  Were they real or a were they a misinterpretation of what she felt for Alex as a result of her brain being deprived of oxygen? A misplaced sense of gratitude due to being rescued? That was a possibility after all. It made logical sense, right? Kara wasn’t so sure.

Then there was James to think about. She had spent months pining over him. She had believed that James was the one person that she could actually have a fulfilling relationship with. It was an obvious choice, a smart and convenient choice. James was not only handsome and caring, but he also knew her secret. As an added bonus he was also Clark’s best friend. It was perfect. But then why had fate seen fit to throw obstacle after obstacle in their way over the past year? Perhaps, Kara considered, she had been fooling herself right from the beginning. If she were being perfectly honest, she knew deep down that Alex would always be first in her life regardless of any romantic relationship. That’s how close they were.

  _Oh, Rao. Had the signs always been there?_

Thinking back, Kara knew in her heart that she had these feelings before, but had just never given them a voice. It had happened when she first moved in with the Danvers. She’d lost everything, and Alex was her beacon of hope. Naturally, she’d become infatuated with her. Alex was caring, intelligent and beautiful. She understood now that over time her feelings changed as she gradually adjusted to her newly assigned familial role. Kara had dismissed those strange, nameless emotions… boxed them up and buried them. Now she had to wonder if they’d truly ever gone away? Or had they always been there, just below the surface of her conscious mind? She felt closer to Alex than anyone else. Had whatever force or deity already known all along what her heart had been trying to tell her for years? She needed to figure out what she wanted for herself before starting any relationship. James deserved that.

“Kara? You with us?” A familiar voice jarred her from her thoughts. She looked around and found herself alone in an empty elevator car. Winn stood before her holding open the elevator doors, a puzzled and concerned expression on his face. His eyes combed every last inch of her as if searching for some sign of injury or trauma. How long had she been standing there, staring off into space?

 “Oh, Rao! Winn, my mind must have drifted.”

“I’ll say…” He said, the tension easing out of his voice. “You realize you’ve been standing at the elevator for a while now.” He smiled, and it was genuine. Unlike many people Kara encountered, Winn never tried to fake warmth. “Had me worried for a second there, you looked like you had a mild case of the Myriad.” He spotted the cup in Kara’s hand and nervously looked around the office.

 “Is that a latte? As in _the_ latte?” His voice was an almost reverential whisper.

 “Yes, it is. Winn? Please tell me Ms.Grant isn’t here already.”

 He stared at her a moment. “Ahem… well, that’s difficult to say. Not on a pronunciation level, I could easily say those exact words, I mean more of an issue with information content, good information versus bad information because she’s sort of...

 “She’s here already!” Kara lowered her glasses and x-rayed around the office, desperately trying to find her boss while her best friend babbled.

“Well, she had some kind of meeting with a potential new editor today, and boy she did _not_ seem happy… and the guy really seemed kind of rude, he was all like, ‘Hey Dilbert, point me to where I can find the puff princess’ and I was all, ‘Dilbert? Pffft as if, look around you buddy, Dilbert works in a cubicle. Clearly, we’re in an open-office. So my desk is like the beachfront property of office spaces.’ At least that's what I was going to say, but Ms. Grant walked out of her office right at that precise moment and leveled one of those soul-searing scowls at him. Which didn’t seem to phase him whatsoever because I think he was kind of dead inside, and you can't sear a soul if there isn't one in the old corpus for the searing? I wasn't so lucky. When she saw it wasn't working, she turned it up a notch and it became like a full-on gorgon glower, and I must have taken the full brunt of it because by the time I crawled back out from under my desk and wiped the tears from my eyes I… Hey Kara, isn't Ms. Grant now off the latte wagon and drinking those Moon juice smoothies with Chinese herbs that Gwyneth Paltrow keeps talking about when she's not finding curious places to stick lumps of jade?

Kara’s eyes widened in shock and looked down at the hot beverage in her hand, which was now silently mocking her. The conversation she’d had with her boss the day before once again played out in her mind's eye.

 _Cat is so going to fire me...again_.

 

*******

 

Across town, an unmarked black SUV slowly crept its way down a quiet side street. A few young men loitering suspiciously in front of a shuttered storefront took notice of the vehicle and wisely made themselves scarce. This was not the worst location, but neither was it the best neighborhood in National City. Its reputation, however, did make the usually arduous job of finding street parking in a densely populated city rather easy. Most visitors to the area tended to use the large parking structure located two blocks down the street. In that neighborhood, it was the logical choice since the parking garage provided a level of security that most often discouraged the local criminal element. The driver of the SUV was able to park next to the intended destination with little difficulty. The vehicle effortlessly glided to a stop in front of a large red-bricked building located at the corner of the block. The building was well maintained, conspicuously free of graffiti and free of any of the local hoodlums that plagued other residences in the city district.

The driver shut off the ignition, unbuckled and slowly eased out of the car. Alex Danvers stepped into the brisk morning air clad in her leather jacket, a dark v-necked t-shirt, and jeans. Reflexively, the young agent eyes surveyed the area and made sure her weapon was both securely holstered and well hidden beneath her shirt before walking towards the hatch in the back of the SUV. In retrospect, Alex realized she had made the right call. As much as she loved riding her beloved Ducati motorcycle, it would not have been the best choice for her mission today. For starters, it would have made transporting her cargo a lot more difficult. Thankfully, traffic had been light and the contents of one of the bags still seemed to be at the right temperature. She smiled and made her way into the brick building.

Once inside, she headed to the building's staircase and made her way up to Kara’s apartment floor. She liked taking the stairs. Good for the legs. Earlier that morning, Alex had decided to surprise Kara by picking up some groceries. She was sure Kara hadn’t thought of restocking her fridge after everything that had happened recently. She chuckled to herself as she realized the extent of Kara’s shopping probably only involved buying a supply of sticky buns. Doing small things like this for her sister was not a problem for the young agent. Especially when she considered that, technically, she spent more time at Kara’s place than her own and only one of them was nourished by photosynthesis. Yet presently, the thoughtful gesture had the added benefit of giving her idle hands something productive to do, since much to Alex’s dismay, she’d found herself forced to take a day’s leave.

It seemed that J’onn, whose true form was a huge green mother hen with red-glowing eyes, was under the false impression that she needed some time off. She had objected this idea quite furiously, which had, in turn, caused the director to make it an official order. _A day’s leave… under protest_.  Alex growled at the notion as she walked up the stairway. She reasoned that in his own misguided way, J’onn had been trying to be helpful. But now Alex needed something to keep her mind occupied. Ironically, in trying to help J’onn had effectively taken away her outlet. Meaning, she’d lost legal opportunities to either shoot or hit something, which she would have found satisfyingly cathartic. _The day is young._ She smiled. Perhaps someone would be foolish enough to try to break into her DEO vehicle giving her an excuse.

Her smile quickly faded as a dark thought marred her musings. She’d come so close to losing Kara and it terrified her. She hated feeling like this. Scared… Alex Danvers did not do scared. It made her angry to feel so weak, embarrassed because she too was susceptible to something so irrational. In the past, she had dealt with fear in a very self-destructive way. It was after losing her father when she had left Midvale and everything familiar. She’d left Kara too, abandoned her much as Clark had done to navigate the world on her own. Alex felt guilty for doing so, but she had her own life to lead. Leaving home in order to pursue an education and a future in the field of science had been a difficult decision. Her mother had been supportive of what she had ultimately decided. She’d even been a little persistent in motivating Alex to go, after all, science was her family’s calling as well as her daughter’s passion. Alex’s path had always been clear until Kara. She had plotted out the exact road her life would take long before fate intervened to change the course of her life. It brought a beautiful young alien into her world, a sister she never knew she wanted.

Then it took away her father. She couldn’t have explained it then, but the mysterious circumstances of his death affected her profoundly. When she lost him, a part of her changed. She had always wanted to make him proud by following in his footsteps, but after he died, it became about living up to his memory. Especially in Eliza’s eyes. It felt tainted somehow. It all felt off; like it wasn’t her choice anymore. It seemed like she was living up to someone else’s expectations and not her own. The doubts made her feel guilty. As if she was letting her father down. Eliza didn’t make it any better, she demanded perfection from her biological daughter and it just made her feel even more lost and broken.

Alex remembered how bleak she’d felt. The future had seemed fraught with uncertainty and it had frightened her. It drove her to drink and act in ways she was not proud of. Thankfully, she found a better way to focus her emotions and energy. _Thank you, J’onn._ She let out a slow breath as her annoyance at him dwindled. Now she felt guilty for all the colorful names she’d called J’onn on her drive here. She owed him a debt she could never fully repay. He had been the one who offered her the position at the DEO. He had taken her under his wing and trained her, pushed her to become better. To Alex the DEO was not just a job; it was one of the two things in her life that provided her with both stability and purpose. It helped her focus and channel a great deal of inner strife and anger into something positive. She loved her job, where she made a real difference in the world. And in all modesty, she was damn good at it.

Alex smiled as she walked past Kara’s neighbors on her way up the stairs. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one wanting a little exercise and opting to forgo the elevator. _Perhaps_ , she thought, _I can talk Kara into letting me install a heavy bag, maybe a reflex bar or even a speed bag in her apartment._ She was sure it would be an easy sell _._ It’s not like Kara didn’t have the floor space in her modest studio apartment, and her younger sister knew exercise was a good way for her to relieve stress _._ It could really help her on days she felt like this. Normally, she could get a good workout in at one of the DEO’s well-equipped training rooms.  Of course today that was out of the question. Or was it?

A hint of an idea seemed to manifest from the ether. There were always agents training back at the base. Who would notice one more? What harm would it possibly cause if she snuck into the DEO? There she could get a good sparring session with agent Vasquez or any other agent that would give her a challenge. That was always fun. The young agent mulled over her plan and dismissed it. J’onn had made it quite clear the base was off limits due to Martian Occupation. She needed to, quote-unquote, relax… take time to process all that happened. _I know what you could do with that relaxation J’onn._

She did not deserve to relax. She had nearly killed Kara the way she’d killed Astra. It made her angry with how she had allowed herself to be used. All thanks to that bastard Non and that blue bitch messing with her mind. She scoffed as she thought of what Indigo’s face must have looked like when J’onn ripped her in half, bet she wasn't so smug then. Finally, at Kara's door, she fished out her spare key to the apartment. She was just about to unlock the door when she nearly jumped out of her skin as a woman’s voice startled her, mid-motion.

 “Good morning Alex. How nice to see you again.”

 It took a second, but Alex recognized the older woman who had walked up while she’d been distracted. _Way to go, Agent, you're off your game_. It could have easily been an enemy getting the drop on her, and next thing she knew, she’d be waking up in some undisclosed location trapped while her captor carried out some nefarious and elaborate blackmail plan. Luckily it wasn’t an evil mastermind, just Kara’s neighbor, Mrs. Needleberg. She was also the person who actually owned Kara’s apartment and rented it to her sister. Kara spoke of the woman fondly and judging by the huge rent break she gave Kara, the feeling seemed mutual. Alex had only a few opportunities to interact with the older woman over the course of three years, and frankly, she liked her. She always seemed kind and genuine, especially to Kara, so Alex made it a point to always be especially polite and cordial.

“Oh, Mrs. Needleberg. Sorry, I was lost in thought.” She quickly said. “It has been a while, how are you?” Alex shifted the grocery bags to her other arm and extended her hand. The older woman ignored it and greeted Alex with a warm hug “No worries, Kara mentioned you would be stopping by today with a couple of friends.” The older woman replied.

“Oh she did, did she?” Leave it to Kara to let everyone in on her plans. When it came to safeguarding personal information, the girl had no clue how to keep things close to the vest. Sure Mrs. Needleberg wasn’t a hostile alien (that she currently knew of) but Kara was way too loose, too often trusting people she considered friends with information and secrets. Alex found it amazing all the neighbors didn’t know she was the Girl of Steel already.

“Yes, Kara came to check in on me this morning before rushing out to work. She was worried and wanted to make sure everything was alright after all the strange nonsense going on in this city lately. It’s all they are talking about on the news.” Mrs. Needleberg continued happily.  “But listen to me; I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t know with you being a special agent and all.

 _Kara!_ Alex internally groaned.

“Umm, yes. It has been an exciting couple of days, but there is nothing to worry about now. Everything is well at hand. It's just like the news says Mrs. Needleberg. The people responsible have been apprehended.” Alex tried to reassure the woman while simultaneously wincing at yet another secret out of the bag. At the rate Kara was going, Alex was going to have to find a way to invent a neuralyzer like the flashy devices from that movie about the secret government organization that dealt with extraterrestrials. It would have to be standard issue for any operative working with her sister. _In retrospect_ , _that movie turned out to be not entirely unrealistic._

“Pish posh” Mrs. Needleberg answered haughtily. “I’m not worried for myself Alex, especially with Supergirl out there protecting our city. It’s just…. I’m just glad that Kara has someone looking after her, that’s all. She’s such a sweet girl.”  The older woman paused, and there seemed to be a sparkle in her eye as she noticed the bags Alex was carrying.

“At first I wasn’t sure about renting the apartment to a …” she paused as if correcting herself. “To someone so young in this neighborhood, but you take such good care of her. She is lucky to have you.” She smiled and squeezed Alex’s shoulder reassuringly. Alex felt her face flush with embarrassment at the sincere compliment and awkwardly returned the woman’s smile. It was difficult to quickly transition from thoughts of shooting people for catharsis to experiencing the warmth of a genuinely caring person.

“Thank you, but I’m lucky to have her too,” Alex replied.

The older woman smiled broadly and looked as if she had more to say, but changed her mind at the last minute. “Well, I've taken up a lot of your time. I'm sure you have things to do, please give Kara my best when you see her. You two girls have a great night in tonight.” The older woman gave Alex another brief hug and made her way down the hall. She seemed to have an odd knowing smile as she waved back at Alex before entering her own apartment

 _Strange,_ Alex thought. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just partaken in two entirely different conversations with the other woman. Perplexed by it all, she decided to file it away for another time. She had enough things on her plate already. She dug out her key to Kara’s apartment from her jacket pocket and slid it into the lock of Kara’s door. As soon as Alex walked inside the large apartment she felt more…relaxed. Tension gradually eased out of her neck, shoulders and lower back. It was silly; she knew Kara was not home, but being in Kara’s apartment always made her feel better.

Spending time with Kara had always been Alex’s other outlet. It was amazing how her beautiful, bubbly sister always found a way to get her to forget her troubles and feel less… broken. Kara could always get Alex to take down her walls and just be herself. Not Agent Danvers, or Perfect Alex, the one that was always trying to live up to her mother's expectations. Kara was content with everything that made Alex… Alex. And she loved Kara for it.

 _Maybe J’onn is right,_ Alex reconsidered. She sighed and looked around the apartment. It sure was an expansive piece of real estate for someone with her sister’s meager means. The large loft had floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed brick walls, multiple chandeliers, and even its own laundry room. For a time Alex actually thought Kara had been secretly telling the truth whenever she jested about turning coal into diamonds to pay the rent. She had finally gotten the real story from Kara when she threatened to boycott ordering dumplings on sister nights. It seemed that she had a special arrangement with Mrs. Needleberg to help out whenever there was a problem in the building. Kara was sort of a de facto Super for the apartments. Her sister wore many capes it seemed.

Alex slid out of her jacket and hung it on one of the hooks by the door. She had to admit, Kara had done an excellent job decorating the apartment. It was a pleasure to come home to. It even smelled wonderful. It smelled like Kara. There was something in the air that was uniquely her sister, the only other person she had met that smelled almost as good had been Clark. It had to be another Kryptonian thing she reasoned. Today Kara’s scent was mixed with a hint of another fragrance. She couldn’t place it right away. She closed her eyes and breathed in the pleasant aroma of… Vanilla. That was it. Kara’s favorite bath body lotion. It seemed to linger in the air now, its fragrance giving the young agent comfort. It reminded her of nights together on Kara's sofa, happy and trouble-free. Kara must have stopped by to shower before heading to Cat Co, Alex guessed.

As she strode into the kitchen, she picked up another familiar fragrance, the smell of Kara's favorite dessert. Noonan's sticky buns. She laughed as she found a half-empty box of the delicious pastries sitting on the table. Kara had begun the celebration early. Alex grabbed one of the tasty treats and eagerly took a mouthful of the gooey morsel. She savored every bite as she unpacked the contents of the grocery bags on the counter. She quickly placed the two containers of ice cream she’d purchased inside the freezer. She had bought other things for the night’s get together, but the two ice cream tubs were theirs. She had promised Kara ice cream and she was going to keep her word. Plus, this also guaranteed that, at least when everyone else left, she’d have an excuse to stay. Not that she needed one, it happened so often that Kara had convinced her to keep some spare clothes in the apartment, even going as far as making Alex space for her in the closet.

When she opened the fridge to put away the rest of the groceries, she was happily surprised Kara had also picked up some of Alex’s favorite beer. She must have known she would need it to make it through the party.

Mrs. Needleberg was correct. Kara was a sweet girl and… _she almost lost her yesterday_. The thought came again, cutting its way through her fragile peace. It kept repeating in her head. She had not lost Kara, of course. They’d won the day. But she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that came with the realization she had been a mere hair's breadth away from almost losing the most important part of her life.

 _You dummy_! She chastised herself. She should have known what Kara intended to do as soon as she’d given her Allura’s necklace for safe keeping. It was such an obvious sign that Kara expected the mission to be a one-way trip. The agent in Alex knew this was part of the job, but it was Kara dammit. To the world, she was the Girl of Steel and nigh invulnerable to harm. But to Alex, she was that scared little girl under the table, hiding from the popcorn maker. She was the selfless girl with a huge heart who always thought of protecting others before herself. The one Alex needed to protect. It was irrational she knew, but fear isn’t supposed to be rational, and losing Kara was her greatest fear now that the world was relying on Supergirl for protection. It meant that her sister would always be exposed to dangers of one kind or another, just like Superman.

Now she understood why Clark wanted Kara so far away from him back when she’d first arrived. He too put others first… would put himself between innocents and harm without a second thought. This made him enemies, and because of this, he lived a life where there would always be a target on his back. He hadn’t wanted to burden Kara with that kind of life. He wanted Kara to decide, to make that choice when she was ready. To have the opportunity to experience a normal life, the one thing Superman would never be able to do.

Well, Kara Zor-El had just shown the world how ready she was. To the Lex Luthors of the world, Supergirl had just thrown down the gauntlet. And Alex knew deep down they would be coming.

Alex pushed the troubled thoughts away. Kara would be home soon and they would talk about it as they always had. Besides, she wanted to get a head start preparing some of the food for the evening’s party. Originally, she wanted the evening to be about them. But much to her chagrin, the night had been hijacked, quickly changing from “sisters’ night” to “group night.” Yes, Alex understood that they’d all had close calls with death in the recent day, especially Winn and James. Thanks to Non and his psycho sexbot, both men had joined another coworker for a night stroll off the Cat Co building. They had been lucky. Their coworker hadn’t.

The group needed this, but a part of Alex kept thinking that tonight was supposed to have been about Kara and her. Alex knew that Kara wanted to spend alone time with her as well, but regrettably, the Super-friends (as Winn had irritatingly taken to calling the group) had commandeered the festivities. Everyone was eager to get back to normal, and celebrating Kara’s triumph as a family was the best way the Super-Friends knew how.

 _It was ”nice”… really_ , Alex conceded. But she’d almost lost her! _Dammit_. That feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach had returned. Was it truly so wrong or selfish that she wanted Kara all to herself for a night? Alex posed the question to the universe. The world now had her sister on most days. Cat Co had her in between that. All Alex wanted was one simple sister's night, enjoying one another's company. Eating the unhealthy things she never touched on her own. Pizza and ice-cream. Binge-watching something on Netflix. A night together on the couch, cuddled under blankets, content in their closeness. It sounded like heaven. Sadly, Kara would never disappoint any of their friends or deny them a bit of happiness. So now they would all meet at Kara’s, J’onn was even personally flying out to Midvale to pick up Eliza. He'd bring her down to National City, then fly her back again. That was an extraordinary length for him to go to just so that she could join her girls and share in the celebration. It was beyond thoughtful of J’onn…kind of. All she needed to top off the anxiety she was feeling was another one of her mother’s “why are you not dating anyone?” round of questions.

 _More like an inquisition,_ She panned as she contemplated drinking one of the beers in the fridge. Instead, she opted to head to the bedroom and change. As she strode through the living room area she noticed a pink bathrobe strewn hastily across the couch. It lay beside some of Kara’s cardigans which also decorated the sofa.

 _Slob,_ Alex thought. _Kara must have dashed out as soon as she finished her shower. But she moves at super speed. She can afford a few nanoseconds to combat preventable wrinkles._ With a sigh, Alex picked up the garments and walked them into the bedroom. Kara had saved the world. The least she could do was put away her clothes and tidy up the place for her.

 

*******

As Alex busied herself preparing for the party, Kara received some startling news back at Cat Co. News she could not wait to share with her sister. After making sure Ms. Grant no longer needed her for the day, she headed for the stairwell that led to the building’s alley exit. X-ray vision revealed no one loitering in the secluded alley, which was a popular hangout for a few die-hard smokers at lunchtime.

_The coast is clear._

Kara happily bounded down the stairs and out into the vacant alley. In a blur barely perceptible with human sight, she shed her clothes and shot towards the heavens. A red and blue streak cut through the maze of towering skyscrapers in a dizzying display of aerial acrobatics as The Maid of Might let loose. She was on top of the world and couldn’t wait to get home to call Alex and share her great news. In retrospect, the jubilant young Kryptonian knew she was being reckless. She had left Cat Co so fast that she’d nearly broken the sound barrier and had almost shattered a few windows…but she couldn’t help it. Her exuberance could not be contained. She whooped excitedly as she soared high above the city’s picturesque skyline. Her body easily defied gravity as she arced higher and higher into the boundless blue sky. On any other day, Kara would chastise herself for such sprightly behavior while clad as Supergirl, but today was different. She was ecstatic. Kara had been given the keys to the kingdom, a chance at an exciting new chapter in her life.

 All thanks to Cat Grant. The woman responsible for building Cat Co into the multi-media powerhouse it was today. Ms. Grant saw great potential in her. Not just in her alter-ego Supergirl but in Kara Danvers as well. She’d even addressed Kara by name for once, not Keira. In one gesture Ms. Grant had changed everything for the young assistant. It had been a perfectly executed end of "Working Girl" moment. They'd even almost shared a good cry… Well, not really, but the young Kryptonian was positive there had been at least one tear.

“Opportunities like this don’t just happen every day,” She thought. She had a chance to be more than just some assistant, to make a difference not as Supergirl but as Kara Danvers. It was too good to be true, and yet it was.

 _It’s amazing_. Kara thought as she altered her flight path, plunging rapidly into the city. As she descended, she slowed her velocity and came to a stop high above her neighborhood. She took a moment to focus her senses, scanning for signs of danger or surveillance both human and electronic. A lesson learned thanks to Maxwell Lord’s machinations. True, they had parted ways as uneasy allies and according to Max, he no longer harbored any ill will. _But a leopard cannot change its spots,_ Kara reminded herself. _It’s better to be cautious._ She continued to scan the surrounding area thoroughly before approaching her apartment window. A familiar heartbeat made her pause and x-ray her apartment. She recognized the shape walking around in her bedroom and the Girl of Steel smiled brightly.

 _Alex is here_.

Inside the apartment, Alex had already lost track of time when the barely audible click of a window being opened caught her attention. Gun in hand, she entered the living room ready for an uninvited guest only to see her sister float into the apartment through one of the large living room windows. Dressed in her Supergirl suit! In broad daylight and In the middle of the freaking day! She was incredulous at the sheer carelessness her sister was exhibiting.

“Kara!” Alex said exasperatedly, lowering her weapon. The blonde Kryptonian beamed as she alighted a few feet before her.

“Alex!! You will never believe what happened” she chirped as she practically skipped over and grabbed her in a tight embrace.

“Kara...need to...Breathe.” Alex choked out the words as her sister lovingly wrapped herself around her. To Alex's surprise, she found herself being lifted off the ground. "Kara! Put me down!"  Alex barked as Kara began dancing with her in tow.

“No...No..!” Kara giggled as she ignored her sister’s protests, continuing to behave as if Alex were a damsel in one of the old-time musicals she adored.

“Kara seriously put me down. I get it, your happy, but I'm not a toy.” If had been any other person she would have been furious. Alex thought, but since it was Kara she was just a little embarrassed.

 “Oh, sorry, I got a little carried away,” Kara said as she put her sister down “Wait… Alex, what’s with the gun?” She asked now puzzled at the sight of the weapon in her sister’s hand.

“I thought for a moment we were having some uninvited company,” Alex stated matter-of-factly as she holstered her gun and regained her composure. With a slight grimace, she padded away from Kara. Her fingers rubbed at the returning tension in her shoulders.

Kara frowned, following her sister as she made her way from the living room towards the adjacent kitchen. Something was troubling Alex. Kara knew her sister too well. _This not acceptable. This was a day of celebrating_.

“Alex, relax. I know this neighborhood is a bit questionable, but someone scaling up the side of a building to break in through a window on this floor is a bit paranoid even for you.” She playfully poked at her older sibling.

“With good reason, Kara. You are not the only alien that has come in through that particular window this past year.”

Kara winced. Alex was correct in that statement. Her apartment had seen quite a number of unwanted visitors drop in ever since she took on the Supergirl mantle.

Once in the kitchen, Alex leaned on the counter and wondered how to broach the subject of protocol when it came to her sister’s alter ego. She didn’t want to come off like she was lecturing, or worse, start an argument. _A subtle approach perhaps?_

Kara had now settled beside her and gave her a gentle bump with her shoulder. Alex knew it was her sister’s way of asking what she was thinking. _Fuck it. Straight and to the point is more my style anyway_.

“Kara, do you recall our conversation about your identity?”

 _Oh oh._ Kara recognized that tone, it was what she liked to call Alex’s “Agent voice”. A peculiar shiver traveled down Kara’s spine at the sound of her sister's businesslike demeanor. Over the past year, she had come to enjoy hearing the steel behind her sister’s words whenever Alex took command of a situation. It wasn’t so much fun however when it was directed at her. But there was something to be said about the self-confidence it conveyed, the assuredness of purpose, it’s effect on the perpetrators and civilians she questioned. And how Alex’s subordinates jumped to follow her commands in the field. As if they were issued by Rao himself. Alex was a total badass when she took charge. _It was kind of...sexy._

“Kara, are you even listening?”

“What do you mean?” It came out as a squeak. _Was it getting warm all of a sudden_? And how was that even possible for someone whose skin was impervious to molten lava? Kara tried to mask her sudden blush. “Oh...right. Identity. I’m totally listening.”

 _Where had those thoughts come from?_ And why was it so freaking hot in the apartment?

“You’re walking around in your Supergirl outfit, Kara.” Alex continued. She took a few steps forward and gestured to the large living room windows directly in front of them for emphasis. “You flew in through your window. What’s next? You going to have all Supergirl’s fan mail forwarded to Kara Danvers’ address too? How many times do J’onn and I have to remind you to try maintaining some modicum of secrecy? You practically announce to the world where you live when you do this.”

The comment helped Kara regain her mental footing. “Come on Alex, give me some credit. I might not be a highly trained super-secret agent like you but I am careful, in my own way. I scanned the area for signs of surveillance with super-hearing, X-ray and Supervision. I knew it was safe.” Kara walked past Alex and continued, “That’s also, by the way, how I knew you were here. So stop being such a grouch and relax. We beat the bad guys, I saved the world and you saved me. Yay us!”

Ignoring the look Alex was giving her at that moment, Kara loped to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water for herself and a beer for her sister. One quick flick of her thumb uncapped the bottle. The bottle cap arced upward and down into the trash can. She wagged her eyebrows as she handed the beverage to her slightly amused sister.

“You joke, but I’m the one who is going to end up with a head full of grey hairs at a young age, thanks to you.” She took a long pull from the bottle to relax.

“Hey, some men like older women, so it could work for you.”

Alex blew out a breath, “I don’t know how I put up with you.”

“That’s easy, you love me!” Kara half sang as she hopped up and sat on the large counter next to the fridge.

“True...but you don’t have to be a brat about it. Also, Kar, you do know Super-Secret Agent is not really a thing and…I am not being a grouch.”

“Yeah, you kinda are.” Kara looked defiantly down at her sister with her best “Agent Alex” impression. Alex stifled a laugh at the mock glower her sister was giving her. She needed to work on her game face, that look wouldn’t frighten kittens.

 _You could be such a brat sometimes,_ Alex thought to herself. There were not many people in the world who got to see this playful side of the Girl of Steel. It was crazy really, the world saw Kara Zor-El as some symbol of hope. Supergirl was everything people would associate with a hero. To Alex, she was just Kara, her goofy adorable Kara. People would never in a million years believe that Supergirl would just plant her ass on the kitchen counter and act like a complete dork the way she was she was right then. No one but her closest friends, and even they did not see all of Kara. None of them were as close to Kara as she was. Which was why it was her job to protect her.

“Cute. I see what you’re doing Kara, but it doesn’t change the fact that I just want you to understand the importance of keeping your secret identity a _secret_. It’s bad enough all of your friends know you’re Supergirl, not to mention, you also told them about the DEO." She exhaled loudly, “ Seriously Kara, you don’t even know the amount of vetting involved to get high enough clearance to know of the DEOs existence, much less become a member. And you practically told everyone you knew a few days after you began working with us.” She took another pull from the bottle and continued. “I’m surprised J’onn didn’t lock you in a Red Sunlight cell for that.”

“Hey, Winn and James can be trusted, and you have to admit they’ve been a great help. I think even J’onn thinks so, not that he’d admit it, but I believe he was impressed by Winn’s tech skills.” Alex walked up to her at the counter, placed her drink down and faced her intently.

“I know, but you take unnecessary chances.” Alex placed herself between her sister’s dangling legs, and her strong hands came to rest on the younger woman’s thighs. “I don’t want to see you get hurt, Kara.”

Kara’s antics stopped at the sudden closeness. It wasn't as if the touch was unexpected. They had never been shy about physical displays of affection before, so why did it suddenly make Kara's stomach flutter? And when had Alex’s eyes become so _captivating_? She had always been aware that Alex was beautiful. But there and then, when she looked into those chestnut-colored eyes she could see all of Alex’s love and devotion. It made a part of Kara...burn. A white-hot flush began where her sister’s hands rested and quickly traveled up her body...up her thighs, spreading to and past regions that had no business being stirred by her sister's touch. It licked its way up her spine, finally settling behind her eyes. Eyes which suddenly seemed to flood with heat. Realizing what was about to happen, Kara slammed her eyelids shut and hopped off the counter walking past Alex, trying not to look her way.

”Are you ok?” Alex asked in surprise.

”Oh yeah! Just thinking about what you said...” Kara quickly answered. This had not happened to her since she was a teenager freshly discovering her X-ray vision and other heightened senses. She ran through some old, elaborate but boring equations her father had taught her back on Krypton. Just as it had always done so back in Midvale, the restless energy inside subsided. _Thank you, Clark, for that little trick_.

“So, you’re saying your grouchiness stems from wanting to protect me,” Kara added hoping that her sister did not realize what almost happened. _Going through puberty with this back in Midvale was mortifying enough for one lifetime. No need to do it again_. She would have to permanently move into Clark’s Arctic Fortress if she had to explain it to Alex. Explaining it to Clark the first time had been traumatizing enough for both cousins. Contrary to popular belief Superman actually had three major weaknesses: Kryptonite, magic, and listening to his cousin discuss awakening sexual desire.

“For the last time, I am not grouchy!” Alex’s exasperated voice cut through the flurry of thoughts crowding Kara’s head.

“Really?” Kara gathered her thoughts. “You can deny it all you want, but I know you, Alex. For starters, you’re here in the middle of the day instead of at the DEO, so I’m going to go out on a limb here and surmise J’onn gave you the day off and you’re completely annoyed because you’d rather be at work. Am I right?”

Alex’s mouth opened and closed silently. The young agent had nothing. Kara always knew her better than anyone else on the planet, so why try to deny it?

“Hah! I knew it. You’re always crabby when you’re forced to take leave,” Kara exclaimed triumphantly. She added a little victory dance to punctuate her incontrovertible right-ness. Alex’s exaggerated eye roll did not deter her from continuing. “You push yourself too hard. You’ve more than earned a day off. Honestly, we could both use a vacation after this whole Myriad fiasco. How about somewhere sunny with sand and an ocean. Now are you going to continue being grouchy or are you going to listen to my great news?

“Fine! You win. No more lecturing,” she quickly added. “for now.”

Kara, content in her victory, proceeded to fill Alex in on what had her so excited, from her early morning latte blunder to Cat scaring her into thinking she was fired by appearing at her desk like an apparition. How she had handed Kara a box and ordered her to pack up. Flustered and fearing the worst, she’d followed Cat out of the office pool expecting to be ushered into the elevator and sent packing. An elevator which Cat bypassed on her way to an empty office, Kara’s new home in the CatCo Dominion.”

“Oh my god Kara, that’s so wonderful. Your very own office. What will you be doing at CatCo now?”

“That’s the best part. Ms. Grant wasn’t just giving me a new office. She was giving me an opportunity or...as Cat put it… ‘The Keys to the Kingdom.’ I get to choose what I want to do. I have a few days to get back to her with my decision.”

Alex was so ecstatic to hear the good news that she threw herself at Kara, grabbing her in a warm congratulatory hug. She couldn’t have been happier. Kara deserved it.

“It’s about time she recognized your worth. I’m so happy for you.” She broke the embrace and opened up the silverware drawer. “This calls for a celebration.” She fished out two spoons and sauntered over to the refrigerator. Pausing dramatically, she looked back at Kara. Her sister's eyes widened at a sudden realization.

“Ice-cream?” She asked, her words ringing with hope for her favorite treat. Alex drew out a pint-sized tub from the freezer.

“Ice cream!” Kara practically squealed in delight. “Gimme, gimme!” She emphatically pantomimed a grabbing motion, squeezing her fingers open and closed in an almost childlike gesture. Alex smirked at her sister’s response and handed her a spoon with the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream container. Kara didn't dawdle, she quickly had the top off and was digging in with fervor.

“Mmmmm...cookie dough.” Kara practically moaned the words in appreciation. “So good.”

Alex chuckled at Kara’s reaction. Some people wished they enjoyed sex half as much as Kara enjoyed dessert, herself included. The sounds of appreciation continued as kara practically danced around the kitchen, gobbling away at her pint. “What? I’m allowed to dance. It’s that good.” Kara managed to say it through a mouthful of cookie dough in response to Alex’s amused smirk.

 “Well, I’ve never had something so good that I wanted to burst into dance…”

Alex twirled her spoon in the air for emphasis. “You watch way too many musicals. Now can you shimmy your butt to the bedroom and change? I need help cutting up vegetables for tonight’s salad.”

“No problem. I can do it at super-speed. You go over to the couch and have another beer, or grab a glass of wine.” Before Alex could respond, Kara and her Ice-cream vanished in a red and blue blur. Within seconds Kara reappeared in the kitchen, no longer clad as Supergirl but in more Kara-like attire sans glasses. She cracked her knuckles and grabbed a large wooden cutting board and knife.

"Oh no, you don't!" Alex quickly ran over to where Kara was standing and snatched the cutting board away. "The last time you used your super-speed while making a salad, Winn and I had to pick wood chips out of our salad. No super-speed.”

Kara grumbled, “Not fair...I bet Barry doesn’t have people barring him from using his powers in the Kitchen.”

“Yes, but your interdimensional speedster friend doesn’t have super-strength to go along with that speed. Judging from the rib bruising hug you gave me when you first got here, you are way to amped up right now.

“Okay, okay, you’re right,” Kara conceded. “But I’ve been watching cooking shows and I bought several books. I’m so ready to cook things Alex. Why do I have to get stuck with vegetable duty?”

“That’s simple, Kar. Because I know even you can’t burn salad.

 

***

 

Culinary mishaps aside, the celebration began as scheduled. J’onn and Eliza were the first to arrive. Luckily for everyone involved, they’d been early. Eliza quickly took command of the kitchen and single-handedly salvaged dinner. Comically, each Danver sister blamed the other’s lack of culinary skill as the reason for the kitchen disaster. Alex was still scratching her head as to how Kara had _actually_ managed to set the salad aflame. They were talking about tropical vacations. She’d asked Kara to go shopping, maybe try out some bikinis with her. Next thing she knew the fire alarm was blaring and the salad bowl by the stove had gone up like a torch. Kara insisted it was not her fault, but Alex clearly remembered shutting of the range.

J’onn, ever the wise martian, chose to stay well clear of the sisterly tiff. By the time Winn arrived at the apartment, the women had decided that it wasn't either of their faults, it was just bad luck. Winn quipped that perhaps the kitchen might be a tougher challenge for the Danvers sisters than even a room full of angry Kryptonians. Alex stayed his immediate execution only because he brought champagne and more ice cream. She did warn him, however, that she had a shovel stowed in her SUV for “special” circumstances.

To Winn’s relief, her attention was diverted elsewhere when J’onn received a call from agent Vasquez. She’d informed him that Major Lane had been ordered back to D.C. Their superiors wanted to be briefed on the events that had recently unfolded. Events that had occurred while the Major had been the acting Director of the DEO. J’onn’s turn in the hot seat would come later as the president herself wanted a personal account on the Myriad attack. When James arrived at the apartment a few minutes later, he confirmed that Lucy had flown out with her father earlier that evening.

Alex wondered if perhaps General Lane had used the debriefing as an excuse to spend time with his daughter. After all, much like she herself, he’d almost watched someone he loved die. It was a sobering experience even for a hard-ass like Lane.

Everyone was still in high spirits regardless of the news. They were sure they would see Lucy again, Winn even jested that it wasn’t as if Lucy would suddenly disappear off the face of the earth never to be seen or mentioned ever again. They all had shared a laugh at the ludicrous notion. After all, they had faith that whatever challenges lay ahead would be overcome as long as they were all together.

All of the positivity in the apartment was even rubbing off on Alex. The young agent was feeling more relaxed and it showed. She was smiling and laughing, and it made Kara happy to see her sister that way. She needed to make sure Alex had more opportunities to enjoy life.

Kara herself was filled with so much joy that it radiated throughout the room. It made Alex’s heart soar now that so much was finally going Kara’s way. Now if only James would grow a pair and make a move. _Ask the girl out already_ , Alex mentally screamed at Olsen. It was frustrating. Both of them, they had been pussyfooting around this for a year. Alex wanted Kara to finally find someone that would make her happy.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kara asked her to set up the silverware for the dinner table. Which she was going to do, provided she remembered the proper way to it. It was such a trivial task. How did she not know? Sadly she already knew the reason, and it was simple. She hadn’t done it in a very long time. She either ate dinners by herself or with Kara, and they mostly ate on the couch together, often sharing food containers. No table settings needed.

“Okay... do the forks go on the left or on the right? I can never remember,” she asked, trying to get a little direction.

“Forks on the left, knives on the right.” Kara pointed out happily.

“Really?!!” Alex was surprised at the answer. Had she been doing it wrong for most of her life, only just then realizing it?

“It’s the way you eat, how would I know that,” Kara said teasingly.

“I...I eat with the fork in my right hand,” she waved the utensil with her right hand “I’ve always used my left.”

“That’s because you were raised by wolves.” The words came from Eliza, who'd decided to join Kara in teasing her. She directed a sarcastic laugh at her mom's, (in her opinion) paltry attempt at a joke.

Winn smiled at their banter. He was content. This is what it meant to be part of a family. He had been alone in the city for so long that the get-togethers were like an oasis in a lonely desert. Even last Thanksgiving which had gotten a bit _tense_ was still more than he had in a long time. At least since his father went off the deep end becoming the Toyman. _Odd, there was an extra place setting at the table_ , he counted out loud to make sure. “Six, seven, eight,” _That’s weird,_ He thought _. Lucy isn’t coming_. _Is anyone else was joining us_? “Hey guys, um, we have...we have one extra setting.”

“No, no leave that one there. It’s for Jeremiah...for when he comes back.”

As Eliza said those words, a pang of guilt rushed through Winn. He had forgotten. He wasn’t the only one that had lost a parent. The Danvers too had their fair share of loss.

“He will,  mom. I give you my word. We’re going to find Project Cadmus, we’re going to bring him home.” Conviction resonated in Alex’s promise.

“Together,” J’onn said, adding his own reassurance. Eliza smiled because she knew with every fiber of her being that they all _meant_ it.

“Hey Kara, can I borrow you for a second?” James put in from the other room.

Kara’s stomach flip-flopped at the sound of his voice. She knew she _had_ to talk to James, but she’d hoped it would not have been that night. She was so confused and knew that a serious talk was needed. However, she wanted more time to think about...Alex. She looked over to her sister, hoping to see if there was an excuse to delay an awkward situation. To Kara’s dismay, Alex just smiled at her as if to encourage her to go spend time with James. _Argh! she’s being “helpful”. Ok, Kara, you’ve faced down Kryptonian soldiers and White Martians, you can do this._

She begrudgingly followed James into the adjacent room. The flutter of little butterflies she’d once felt for James had now transformed into the flapping of large leathery bat wings that filled her with unease. Something fundamental had definitely changed.

“So, I’ve taken a lot of photos of Supergirl and I think this one is really special.”

“That’s so sweet.”

 _Apparently, fate is taking a perverse joy in making me more uncomfortable,_ Kara thought as James unwrapped his framed photograph. It was a picture of herself, not as The Girl of Steel, but as plain old Kara. She knew It was his way of showing her that it was Kara who he cared for and admired. Not just her Supergirl alter ego. It was _really_ sweet. It should have made her swoon, but instead, she felt completely thrown for a loop. She didn't know how to respond, so she blurted out the first thing to pop into her head.

“I'm squinting.”

Which of course was the wrong thing to say at such a beautiful gesture. _Rao! that sounded horrible!_ Kara inwardly cringed at her remark. She quickly scanned James’ face and was unsure if she had inadvertently hurt his feelings. _Wow, he must be a great poker player_. She realized this since… even with her vast array of super-powers… she couldn't find even a hint of a microexpression to clue her into what James was feeling after that comment. _Maybe next time,_ she chastised herself _, I could just incinerate his thoughtful gift with my heat vision.  No wonder you only have first dates. That's what happens when you are so completely bad at this dating thing_.

It had not in fact been the reaction James expected, but he quickly rebounded. “No, you're smiling with your eyes… like you are now. It’s what happens when you're happy.”

“Yeah, I’m happy. Thank you." Kara said although she was unsure if she really meant it. Yes, she was happy. But this thing with Alex. It was too confusing.

“Of course.” James smiled at her.

She had been so lost in thought wondering if it would be wrong to fake an emergency so she could fly out of the apartment that she didn’t notice James leaning in. His hand suddenly caressed her face, then his lips met hers. He kissed her tenderly.

 _Maybe…_ she thought. She kissed him back desperately hoping to ignite a spark. To go back to before, a time when long-buried feelings had behaved and kept quiet.

It was a good kiss, but it was as she feared...sparkless. There was no heat. Nothing. No swoon, or that feeling of flying she had felt before. It was official, their moment had passed.

She had to tell him. It was only fair.

“Great, Kara, do the champagne trick!” Alex excitedly called from the other room. “Come on, come on, come on.”

As Kara and James walked into the living room, she realized that she'd made up her mind. She knew what she had to do. This was going to be a record for her. She was going to break up with someone before they even got an official first date.

“It’s so cool.” Alex bragged about her sister’s trick as Winn began chanting, “Do the trick...”

“Come here, come here.” Alex once again urged her sister closer and Winn handed her the champagne bottle.

“...do the trick, do the trick!” he continued.

Kara smiled and took the bottle from her friend. Alex began a countdown as Kara used her super strength to add pressure to the bottle. With a slight squeeze of her hand, the contents of the bottle did the rest. Within seconds there was a loud pop as the cork shot free. Foamy champagne began to spurt from the bottle to the boisterous cheers of her friends.

“Let’s have a toast,” The group suggested. James was all too happy to comply. “All right.” They all laughed merrily as he poured champagne into everyone's glass.

"To Supergirl," J’onn said starting things off with a toast to Kara, who had saved the planet.

“No, no, wait...wait. To family,” She corrected. “Love bonds us all.”

“To family!” The group echoed. They were clinking their champagne flutes together when a sudden noise interrupted the celebration. What sounded like a detonation in the distance caused the entire building to shudder, almost as if in fear. The blast reverberated throughout the city immediately putting an end to the festivities.

“What was that?!” Alex was already in motion, heading towards the large floor-to-ceiling windows for a better look. She feared the worst… some sort of terrorist attack, or perhaps another rampaging alien. The rest of the group followed on her heels thinking the same thing.

“What the hell?” J’onn and Kara were the last to follow. They knew what it was, they were both familiar with the sound. It was a large sonic boom. At the window, Kara and J’onn’s suspicions were confirmed. A large object had just broken through the atmosphere high above the city’s air space.

The scientist in Alex deduced that it must have been traveling at an incredible speed, but was now colliding with the molecules of Earth’s atmosphere, slowing it’s rapid descent and creating a great deal of friction in the process. Friction which was converting kinetic energy into a lot of heat. The object had burst into flames and was leaving a large fiery trail in its wake. Alex quickly did the math. Judging by its trajectory and rate of descent, the object would not have sufficient time to burn up or detonate in an air burst before colliding with National City. It would not wipe out the city, Alex realized, but it was of little comfort. Its collision would still be catastrophic. Entire city blocks would be demolished and the resulting flames from the explosion caused on impact would create a veritable firestorm. People would be hurt or killed.

“That can’t be good,” She said out loud. It was time for Supergirl. Alex turned to her sister but Kara was already in motion, ripping open her blouse to reveal the red and blue crest emblazoned on her chest. It sent a peculiar shiver through Alex which she quickly dismissed as sudden awe at Kara’s power and fearlessness. Interestingly, it made her think that James had better make his move quickly before some other guy stole his chance out from under him.

Kara and J’onn flew off in pursuit of the fiery ball streaking towards the middle of the city. Alex scrambled towards her leather jacket currently hanging by the door.

“Damn it! We barely had time to rest from the last threat. Now, this!" She frantically dug through her jacket’s pocket grabbed her second cell phone, the one encrypted for DEO emergencies, just as it blared to life.

"Danvers," she answered. "Vasquez, yes we’ve seen it, J’onn and Kara are intercepting the meteor before it… what do you mean it has altered course? Okay, get a team mobilized ASAP. J’onn will need them in case it's another alien ship. If it is a ship, we may need full containment. If it’s a hostile alien creature we will need to take it down. Make sure they are fully geared for the worst. And Vasquez? Full media blackout on this until we can come up with a plausible excuse for all the outlets.”

By the time she ended her phone call with agent Vasquez, the rest of the group had turned to the local T.V. news stations. They were hoping it was just an ordinary city-leveling meteor, as was Alex. A meteor would be no problem for Kara, might even be fun compared to all the ways the situation could, theoretically, be infinitely worse. It could be some new alien hell-bent on death and destruction or, god help them, it could be the Czarnian. An unpleasant shudder passed through Alex’s body at the horrific thought of dealing with _him_ again.

Her dread was soon put to rest when she received a call from J’onn. He informed her that the meteor had in fact been a Kryptonian ship similar in design to both Kal El and Kara’s pods. Most interesting of all was that there appeared to be a new Kryptonian on earth. Friend or foe, they did not know. He was being transferred to the DEO’s city facility for quarantine and detention.

“Okay J’onn, I’ll be right over. It should take me...“ Alex began.

“We have the situation under control, Agent Danvers.” Came J’onn’s quick response. _He’s using his director tone,_ Alex realized. But she still wanted to be involved in the situation.

“But sir I am…”

“Alex, we have other scientists that are capable of handling the situation, at least until the morning. Get some rest, that’s an order.” J’onn’s stern voice almost seemed to echo from the other end of the phone.

 “Yes, sir.”

"Good, and I will be sending Supergirl home as well.” The director quickly added.

Just like that, Alex was once again sidelined. She had to wait until morning to see what the situation was. At least she would get more details when Kara got home. She walked back into the living room and informed the group that the emergency was over. When they pressed to get more information, she gave them the standard need to know speech. Winn made the comment that Kara would fill them in later anyway, which earned him a threatening raised eyebrow.

"Shovel, right, right. Oh, look at the time! I think I should get moving. Traffic is going to be murder after all the ‘whoa! There’s a giant freaking fireball in the sky type rubbernecking.’ James, you coming?"

James rubbed his neck as if coming to a decision. “Eliza, I would be happy to take you to your hotel. If that’s alright with you.”

 The older woman smiled, "That would be wonderful. Thank you, James."

 Alex smirked. _Good job James, ingratiate yourself with the adoptive mom, nice_. _Perhaps you’re not half as inept at this as I thought. Best of luck, she's a tough one._

“Do you need any help cleaning up Alex?”

“No mom, I’ve got it. You guys get going. I’m going to stay and wait up for Kara. Cleaning will give me something to do instead of pacing a hole in her floor.”

Eliza smiled at the comment as they were being ushered out of the apartment. She knew her daughter would not go home until she had seen that Kara was home safe. She wondered if there was more going on between her girls than Alex was telling her, but she thought it would be a conversation for another day.

By the time Kara returned, Alex had finished straightening up the apartment and was curled up on the couch wrapped in one of Kara’s coziest blankets. She slowly sipped from a large mug of hot coffee while a T.V. show played in the background.

“Game of Thrones? Really?!! Et tu, Alex. First J’onn doesn’t tell me where they’re taking the ship, then he sends me home, and now this. The ultimate betrayal.” Kara pursed her lips as she pulled off her red boots. “We’re supposed to watch them together.”

“It’s an old one. I was just wasting time waiting for you. Kryptonian ship, huh?” Alex asked as Kara got under the blanket with her, settling into her usual spot.

At the lack of response, Alex pressed on. "I spoke to J'onn. How are you doing? I noticed it took you a while to come home. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was flying, patrolling, thinking about… things. He could actually be Kryptonian Alex, and I want to be excited but…”

“What if he turns out to be like Non and the others?” Alex finished Kara’s thought. She tenderly wrapped her arm around the younger woman's shoulders, smiling as Kara’s body instinctively melted into hers.

“You are looking at it all wrong. What if he turns out to be like you or Clark?” She placed small kisses on top of her sister’s head, trying to ease her mind.

“What if he turns out to be another Zod?” Came Kara’s worried reply.

“Point… but Kar, you can't worry about all the what-ifs in life."

“Why? Because it’s pointless to worry about things I can’t control? Or is it that it’s crazy because the odds of something like that happening just after dealing with Kryptonian military terrorists is astronomically absurd?”

“Nah! Neither, worrying about things is my job. If you start doing it then what will I contribute to the team?” The comment elicited a snort from the young Kryptonian nuzzled warmly against her.

“Stay tonight...” Kara murmured as she snaked her arms around her sister’s torso, preparing for some impromptu shameless snuggling to ease her troubled mind.

“Honey, it's late. I just wanted to make sure you were alright, but I do have to go home to get some sleep before heading into the DEO tomorrow. I want to take a look at this Kryptonian. I can't be on my A-game if I'm half dead while doing it, and besides, I didn't bring a change of clothes.”

“Excuses, you can wear some of my clothes for bed, come to think of it I have plenty of your old shirts I stole already in my closet.”

“I want to Kara, honest I do, but driving back to my apartment for a quick shower and a change of clothes in National City morning traffic already means I’d have to wake up practically right now just to make it to the DEO base on time. I’ll take a raincheck.”

“What.. that’s silly. You can leave for the DEO right from here. You don't have to go back to your apartment at all,” Kara began ticking off fingers as she continued. “You keep a spare toothbrush here already, and there is no reason you can’t take a morning shower here.”

“There are two, underwear and uniform.”

“First, you can borrow one of mine, it wouldn't be the first time you’ve done it. Second, you keep a spare uniform stowed in my closet in case of an emergency, remember?”

“That’s true.”

Alex already sounded convinced, so Kara pressed her advantage. “On top of that, you always complain about your feet being so cold at your apartment that it's hard to get to sleep right away."

“Fuck, tell me about it, I sometimes double up on socks just to go to sleep.”

“See? I’m right. It’s already late and by the time you fall asleep at your apartment, it will be morning and you’d have to wake up anyway...plus your feet are never cold in my bed, you’ve said so yourself.”

“That's because I cheat when I’m with you. You always let me warm them up on you.” Kara smiles at the comment. “You are like a…”

"Mini radiator," Kara said, finishing Alex's thought.

She smiled remembering the warmth and bliss she’d always felt lying in Kara’s bed, or the countless times in their youth when the younger girl had fallen asleep curled up in her arms after sneaking into her bed in the middle of the night. Kara’s warmth had always been such a balm to her weariness. Wrapping around her like a blanket made of summery sunshine on many a cold Midvale night. Who was she kidding? She wanted to stay as much as Kara wanted her to, she thought.

“Okay, I'll stay.”

“Really?  !”

Kara excitedly pecked her cheek as she got up from the couch. She headed to the bedroom, retrieving clothes for Alex to change into.

“And don’t worry about morning traffic because I am going to fly you to the DEO base myself. I want to take a look at our visitor too, don’t forget.” Kara stated as she handed the bedclothes over to her.

“Kara, don’t you think people in DEO will misconstrue us coming in together at such an early hour of the morning, especially if you personally flew me there?”

“Right, that would be totally weird.” Kara visibly reddened at the thought of the DEO’s resident rumor mill getting their hands on that. A myriad of Inquirer-like headlines flash across Kara’s mind: Agent Danvers Spends Night Warming the Maid of Might’s Bed! Supergirl and Undercover Agent Take Their Working Relationship Under the Covers! Girl of Steel and Agent Danvers Steaming Things Up In Kryptonian Ice Fortress, Secret Agent Melting More Than Ice Caps At Secluded North Pole Love Nest. How salacious, worthy of an Alive and Wired with Leslie Willis segment. People would definitely talk. It was human nature. She hadn’t thought the whole flying Alex to work idea through.

“It sends the wrong message, too many people already know we are sisters. There is no need to advertise it any further. It could bite us in the ass in the future.”

“Sisters! Right.” She blushed again. Boy, had she totally gone a different way with that. “Don't want everyone in the DEO knowing our relationship. Gotta keep our sisterhood a secret, keep it good and hidden. Conceal, don’t feel. Don’t let them know.”

“Good, glad we are on the same page...wait was that from Frozen.”

“Completely.” Kara snickered.

“Hey, Kara I’m serious. The fewer people who know about us, the better. Think about how many times Lois has gotten kidnapped or pitched out of a window because of her relationship with Superman. If they knew I was your family they’d...”

“Get shot trying it, or get to eat an Alex sized boot. I could just see Intergang trying to pull you off the streets. I’d actually like to see them try, watch you make Bruno Mannheim cry again. I bet Clark would too. We could get some ice cream floats and just watch.”

“J’onn told you.”

“He wanted me to know that you were more than capable dealing with any spillover from my being Superman’s cousin after I kind of blabbed to Cat the whole Super-family secret.”

"Still, we have to be careful. Now, why don't you call James and tell him you’re okay while I go get ready for bed? I don’t mind.”

“No, not right now.”

Alex looked confused at her sister’s response. She was sure Kara would have wanted a chance to speak to James before turning in.

“It’s just, after yesterday, nearly dying. I want to be...here with you.”

"Oh okay," Alex answered hesitantly.

“You understand?” Kara wondered if Alex actually could.

 _I almost lost her today._ The thought echoed In Alex’s head once again. “Yes, I do.” Alex acknowledged the elephant in the room. She looked into Kara’s eyes and saw that they mirrored the same turmoil of emotion she had felt all day. Their gazes lingered for a moment longer than Alex felt comfortable with. Feeling naked and exposed, she cast her eyes downwards and took Kara's hands into her own. She dared not look at Kara's eyes again. Instead, she gazed at her sister's hands. They were beautiful and graceful with long elegant fingers that could rend steel but were still capable of the most tender of touches. So powerful yet so warm and gentle. Much like Kara, they were a strange juxtaposition of delicate softness and impossible strength. She took comfort in that strength, and finally openly voiced her fear.

“I almost lost you.” Tears flooded Alex’s eyes, but before any could escape they were quickly wiped away by her own hand.

“I should be so mad at you right now,” Alex half sobbed and half laughed. It felt as if her brain couldn’t make up its mind on what to really feel at that moment. “Going off on a suicide mission without giving me a chance to talk you out of it or coming with you, what were you thinking, you dummy?”

“Oh… you figured that out?” Kara nervously worried her lip.

“The Allura necklace.”

"Ah, well, in my defense it all worked out. Besides, you couldn’t have come. Max said any human brain near the source of the wave would have popped like a balloon… and I was trying to save the world. Don’t be mad.”

“Kar, I’m not mad, this isn’t about what you did. I get that part, it’s about what you said to me on the comm before you flew Fort Rozz into space. The part about me finding happiness without you.” Alex paused for a second to gather her thoughts. “Kara, I want you to understand something. You assume that’s what I want, that my happiness has come at the cost of being your sister. That somehow you took that away from me. Kara, you have never taken anything away from me. “

Alex gently cupped Kara's face, finally daring once more to look into her sister's tear-filled blue eyes. "I love you, Kara Zor-El. And not for a second do I regret  this.”

The smile and half sniffle she received from Kara made it easier for her to continue baring her soul. “I know in the beginning when Clark brought you to live with us… I was not happy.”

Kara let out a chuckle at the understatement.

“Okay, okay more than a little unhappy, but Kara… I was a teen and a single child. You turned my life upside down and I was admittedly a little selfish But over time I grew to love you, and I cannot imagine a world where you are not part of it. We are in this together, always. EL Mayara. Stronger together. You taught me that, Kara.”

Tears spilled from Kara’s eyes. She had always felt guilty about being in Alex’s life, sharing with her the burden of her secret. As if it had always caused her older sister to give up a part of herself. To know that Alex gave all of it willingly, without regret, was indescribable. Kara was about to burst. She was filled with an overwhelming need to show Alex, not just in words, how much she cared for her, what she meant to her. But common sense won out.

“So you don’t regret giving up a career in science to join the DEO to protect me?”

“What?! Of course not. Kara, I love my job and I still get to work in science. The things I’ve learned and done are amazing and…”

"You get to carry a gun and be a total badass all time," Kara added with a slight chuckle, causing Alex to smirk at the comment.

“What about your personal life, your social life, Alex? Rao, when was the last time you went on a date?”

Kara did have a point there, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out on a date or even wanted one. Her life was too busy.

“Does the one with Maxwell Lord count?”

“No! A real date, Alex.”

“Kara, I never really dated much before you put on the cape. That’s not on you, and come to think of it, I’m not the only Danvers who is currently single. What about you?”

“Hey, I've dated. I have gone on many dates these last few years.”

“Yes, many first dates. But seriously, you’re using a phone app to find people to date Kara. Maybe it’s time to girl the hell up and ask James out. You, two idiots, have been dancing around this for a year now."

“James.. _right!”_ Ugh. Kara quickly realized how bad her response sounded and smiled broadly in a futile attempt to give nothing away.

“Wait was that a crinkle?”

“No! that was not a crinkle... soo not a crinkle.” Kara quickly turned away, pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to find the treasonous muscles that had given her away. "How about some ice cream?"

 “Uh huh.” Alex agreed, though not even remotely buying Kara’s attempt at deflection.

 “Ice cream?” She tried again as she inched farther away from her sister, subconsciously seeking a way out of the hole she just placed herself in.

 "It's 2:30 in the morning!"

 “No ice cream?!” She said with a pout.

 Alex quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Okay fine, I’ll tell you. Stupid interrogating eyebrow. It's just… after all, that's happened, something is different, changed. I have changed."

“Changed… how?” Alex leaned in closer to her sister on the couch. “I thought being with James was what you wanted.” Alex hadn't realized that Kara had been feeling this way. She’d spent the year pining over the handsome photographer. Alex had even secretly wished Lucy Lane ill when she’d become an obstacle in Kara’s path to happiness. Not that she would have ever acted on any impulse, like pushing the major out of a tactical transport helicopter while on route to a mission. Thought about it, yes. Just once though. Maybe twice.

“I did. At least I thought I did. Being with James was all that I wanted, but now I’ve realized it was never about James.

“What does that even mean?”

“You know what I mean. You know that a part of me has always just wanted more than anything to live up to my potential, to do what my mother said I was supposed to do. This past year has been about me finding my place in this world. First by becoming Supergirl. But now I think it should also be about me being Kara Danvers, and finding her place as well. I thought that a part of that was being with James. That somehow being with him would help the Kara Danvers part of me feel normal, but now when I listen to my heart, I know how wrong that was. It is completely unfair to him. I care for him deeply and I love him, but I think we are better as friends and I haven't found the right time to talk to him about it.

“Wow, that sounds...complicated. I had no idea you were feeling that way. I'm glad I didn't try to encourage James to ask you out tonight. Next time give me a little heads up because that would have been awkward.

“It couldn’t have been any more awkward than it was. He gave me the sweetest gift and then kissed me not six feet from where we’re sitting.”

“Shut the front door! Really, with mom in the other room? Go, James! That was ballsy. Here I thought he was never going to make a move.” With a grin, Alex scooted closer on the couch. ”So...how was it?”

“How was what?”

“The kiss dufus, what else?”

"Oh, that. The earth didn't move if that's what you are wondering."  Kara raised her legs a bit, allowing Alex to place her feet under her warm calves.

“Is it supposed to?” She had certainly never felt something like that, she thought.

“Of course it is, silly. When it’s the right person. It is known.”

Kara's response elicited a laugh from Alex and a bop of a cushion to her head.

"No, it's not, Kara." She stifled her giggles. "Are we talking something real based on factual concrete evidence or is it something you gleaned from one of your chick flicks?"

“Love isn’t science, Alex.”

"Technically it's biochemistry. Specifically, a combination of...."

“Alex you are hopeless! Really, have you ever thought that maybe you just haven't met the right person? Someone special, who makes you feel like you were flying?”

“Sure I have,” Alex said sincerely. “You.”

The words caught Kara by surprise. She didn't know what to say… that is until Alex grinned and continued.

“I have literally been taken flying, by you. Several times. Frightening and exhilarating all at once. It is always amazing.”

“Alex! Now you’re just being deliberately obtuse.” Kara playfully swatted her with her cushion. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I know, it’s just I don’t want you to miss out on a chance to be happy because of some false romantic notion. You just went through a near-death experience. Things might feel different right now, but maybe they will change again. Make sure that you know what you really want before making that decision. All I want is for you to be happy with whatever you decide.”

“Thank you, Alex. But I’m sure this is the right decision for me right now.”

“Well then, there is nothing left to do after a breakup but to eat copious amounts of ice cream. I think you really do need it.”

“Yes, I do.” In a blur of motion, Kara was gone. She returned a few minutes later clad in one of Alex's old Stanford tees and cute Capri style pajama bottoms. She carried a pint-size tub of ice cream and two spoons. She settled down on the sofa and offered Alex a spoon.

“Oh no! None for me, it's way too late for ice cream. Some of us have a real metabolism, not a fusion reactor like yours.” Alex playfully poked at Kara’s stomach.

“Alex, it’s no fun if I'm eating alone. Besides, you’ll just work out tomorrow and burn the extra calories. Not that you would look less enticing a few pounds heavier. Because you would still be, you know… very enticing. At least to me. Wait, what? I mean that I would totally find you incredibly hot, that is, if I were a guy or… you know… a lady who liked the ladies. You are quite the catch, miss Danvers.”

Kara’s cheeks flushed pink as the words cascading out of her mouth mercifully ended. The young Kryptonian wasted no time scooping several bites of ice cream into her mouth. It was her hope this would serve the dual purpose of keeping her mouth too occupied to betray her and to cool off the rising heat of embarrassment she felt right then. _Oh boy. Is this going to be her new norm?_ she wondered. _Blushing like a fool every time my mouth forgets to check with my brain about what I should and shouldn't say to my sister_.

Alex smiled at Kara's embarrassment. The compliment was extremely flattering because it was so genuine. She was happy for her sister's appreciation of her figure. She really did train hard, and not for looks. In her line of work being in shape was a necessary part of the job. But it was nice to be seen as attractive too. Not that she had time for romantic entanglements, but it was always nice to be thought of as “hot.” The fact that someone like Kara thought so was high praise.

"Thanks, Kara, but I really think I shouldn't. In fact, we should turn in. We can always continue talking in bed. Wait, is that Americone Dream? The one with the fudge covered waffle cones inside?!!"

“Yup, I have to thank Winn for buying some. It’s really delicious.” She finished swallowing the mouthful she’d been talking with. “You sure you don't want to try?” Kara asked, tempting her with a small taste from her spoon.

“Okay, maybe just a spoonful.”

A pint full of Americone later, both girls reclined on the sofa fully satiated. Their heads leaned towards one another.

“You are evil. You know that?” Alex said to the smirking temptress.

"Nope, I'm not." Kara's smirk grew to a full-blown broad smile. "I just hate eating ice cream alone. It always tastes better when it's a group activity.”

“Well, don’t look so smug. Especially when you can’t get all of it into your mouth properly.” Alex reached across to gently thumb some wayward chocolate away from the side of Kara’s lips.

Much like the counter incident earlier that afternoon, this was something Alex had playfully done to Kara a dozen times before. But today it was different. Kara was different. The touch was meant innocently, but the effect was almost electric, intimate in a way it had never been before. Her eyes dilated and time slowed. It was a shift in perception, she knew. It was what allowed her and speedsters like Barry the ability to perceive things at regular speed while moving faster than human eyes could follow. She had unconsciously slipped into it as soon as she felt Alex slide her thumb across her lips. She observed with fascination the mischief in Alex’s eyes as she brought the cream covered thumb back to her own mouth and delicately sucked it clean. That was not sisterly at all, Kara thought. Even more confusing, this was not the first time Alex had done it. She’d never noticed it before.

“I think I just found my new favorite flavor.” Alex savored the lingering taste in her mouth.

 _Rao! Seriously, did she really just say that_? Was Alex having some perverse fun at her expense? Deliberately making her squirm? Did she suspect what Kara felt, or was fate toying with her once again?

“We really do have to thank Winn for bringing it here. We just can’t make a habit of eating it this late.” Alex stood up and stretched like a cat waking from a long afternoon nap, her shirt riding slightly up to offer a peek at the taut stomach muscles hidden behind the loose fitting fabric.

“Uh huh.” Was all Kara managed to say as she shamelessly ogled the auburn-haired beauty. Heat welled behind her eyes and she was forced to do some quick math to control her heat vision.

“Kara? You okay?” Alex asked when she noticed Kara had closed her eyes and stopped talking.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit overwhelmed with everything. Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix.”

"Well, what are we still doing here, then? Let's go to bed." She offered Kara a hand up off the couch.

Both women wasted no time. Kara was already in her pajamas and quickly cleaned up for bed. She was under the covers by the time Alex finished changing and brushing her teeth. Kara bit down on her lip at the sight of Alex walking to the edge of the bed wearing a pair of black boy shorts, which were partially hidden under an oversized long sleeved shirt. There was entirely way too much uncovered leg for the way Kara was feeling.

Maybe this sleepover was something she should have considered more carefully. _Stupid impulsive ideas_. She had to remember to think things through with greater consideration from then on.

Alex smiled as she crawled into bed with her. She slid in under the covers beside Kara, who happily turned over to allow Alex more access to her usual spot in bed. Once she was comfortably wedged under the sheets and nestled close to Kara, she let out a pleased sigh as her legs made contact with the back of Kara’s thighs and calves. Warmth spread immediately, even through the fabric of Kara’s pajamas. _She really is a radiator_ ,  Alex thought.

Kara smiled knowing what Alex wanted. She used one of her feet to hook behind her sister’s, pulling them to intertwine with her own. Kara slowly began rubbing her feet across the length of Alex’s feet and calves. Her slow and gentle ministrations had a warming effect, gradually taking the chill from her sister's lower extremities. Alex absently realized that the warmth of Kara body on her skin was almost narcotic, and her smell was equally intoxicating. Her eyes became heavy-lidded as she melted into Kara. The gentle vibration roused her from the lull she’d been experiencing. Alex realized it was the motion of Kara’s shoulders. She was giggling.

“You really love when I do that, don’t you?”

Alex huffed out a few laughs behind Kara’s head as she nuzzled her face into the younger woman's blonde locks, breathing in her scent. She felt more than a little embarrassed. It had always been an unspoken thing between them, and having to admit it aloud was beyond her comfort zone. But Kara had more than earned her appreciation.

"Yes! Thank you, it always feels amazing...and you know you're completely spoiling me for everyone. After all, if my sister could do it, whomever I date damn well better do it too.

"Well Alex, at the rate we are both going, I don't think either one of us has to worry. We are going to end up a couple of old spinsters with lots of cats."

“Cats?’

“Yeah, lots of them...I’m going to name my favorite one Streaky the Supercat, and Winn will make him a little cape. He will be our neighbor at the group home.”

“The cat?”

“No, Winn. He will move in next to us.”

“Well, at least we'll have company...” she answered as Kara’s soporific warmth continued to envelop her.

“Very true, and I’ll make sure to keep you and your feet warm on cold nights.”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at Kara’s strange vision of the future. She knew Kryptonians did not age like humans, but she realized the simple truth in what Kara had said. No matter what the future held, they would always be together in some form or another.

“I love you, Kara.” Alex smiled as Kara’s warmth continued to cause her body to relax. Her eyelids once again felt heavy. Sleep came soon after, but not before she heard Kara’s voice echoing her sentiment.

“I love you too, Alex, always.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok Sorry, this took a while, life got in the way. The following chapters will still follow some of the beats of Supergirl Season 2 but it will diverge in many ways from that continuity.


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